^^^1^ 



UBRARY OF CONGRESS 





00D13SDb77EO 






<ar:«^ 






C<QC^^ 



^^MS^^$ 






'<rcr<C: 









<i£<:i^' ' 



3£c:^:- 















S& 









<ssc 



S5 






<^Ci 



CSC 






<S^ 



, <£< 



^C5L esc: 

L dC 
3^ cc 

' crc 


















cricc: 



<'C2c: 



5^.c<<: 






^^igaCI 












c.^-n%z\ 



/ 

THE 



«? / 



ADVENTURES 



OF A 



"VOLirnSTT'EEiK,, 



?s b^iQiii^ 



BY A 



iini 



NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICEE. 



■^ "^'r* v\ v"r\ p ^ 




< P. C. BKOWN'E, PRmTER, 

8. E, CORNEE OF THIED AND SYCAMOEE STEEETi, CIXCINNATI, 0. 



1863. 



:iEX 



«^[:_^ ^^ /^^ , TCyrj 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1863, 

By T. W. FANNING, 

In the Clerk's Office of District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. 



9^y-3-'ki' 






..^ 



j'iOl^ftlOO OT'"iV; ' f rj'J 



THE ADYENTUEES OF A YOLMTEER, 



i!P;m'}':- 



Doing a confectionary business here in Gincinnati I 
found would not be as productive in the winter as was 
necessary to a person of family, and being anxious to 
do something for nay country, I was induced to join 
the 5th Ohio Cavalry, at Camp Dick Kobinson, on 
the 17th day of September, 1861. I joined com- 
pany H, of Captain John C, who was shortly after 
displaced, when, like the" balance of his company, I 
went with forty-five of them to Lexington, Kentucky, 
where we would have joined a regiment of cavalry^ 
^nder our former Captain, but that Colonel Taylor, of 
our first regiment, sent for us, and we returned in a few 
days thereafter, having been ordered to do so by some 
prominent persons in Frankfort. After our return, we 
were placed under command of Capt. P., a merchant 
of Cincinnati, who only remained shortly, he being 

discharged. Our 1st. Lieutenant, B. W. T- n, was 

formerly a railroad conductor, and did, and still con- 
tinues to do his business in a prompt and orderly 
manner. May all shoulder-strap men be of a similar 
disposition. In October we were ordered out to Camp 
Dennison, to which place we all rode, and fixed up our 
tents within a few hundred yards of the depot. A few 
weeks thereafter two of our companies got into houses 



4: [the adyentuPvEs of a volunteer. 

built there by carpenters, and there we were comforta- 
bly situated while we remained. Being a sargeant in 
Company H previous to our departure to Lexington, 
I was appointed to Q. M. McFarland's department, 
and issued on order all the clothing, blankets, and 
horse materials as long as we remained there. As- 
sistant Q. M. Eobinson, who principally did all the 
writing, was a gentlemanly officer of immense knowl- 
edge, and remained with us a long time. He was with 
us through Tennessee and Mississippi, and was always 
loved and respected by the whole regiment. May he 
always do well in this world and the next, we hope 
and pray. Oamp Dennison is sometimes a pleasant 
place to reside in, but many of our boys were dissatis- 
fied, because there were several articles which they 
wanted and could not procure there. Consequently 
some of them were taken of ^'French furloughs" to the 
city, and were sometimes guard-housed on their re- 
turn, but were shortly afterwards unloosed by the Colo- 
nel, who was very kind to his men, and hated very 
much to see them remain any length of time inside 
prison doors. At Camp Dennison we had plenty to 
eat, drink and wear, and were only muddy in the win- 
ter when walking around. Consequently we, as sol- 
diers in camp, did excellently well. There are several 
groceries here, which places sell things very high, and 
therefore are not very well patronized. The owners 
are not as wealthy as the}^ might be in other places. 
About this period, newspapers were scarce very ire- 
quently, and in order to obtain one, much loved and 
respected by all the boys of our regiment, I wrote the 
following piece of poetry and sent it to the Times, 
which published it Qathe aft^i:BO.oa,pf P^^mfeeythe 

25th, 1861: ,C-../X.r^■.^.'l/r,-,: ^^ • : -. -.rl^ A^ , : 



THE AKYENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. ^ 

YOLITN'TEER POET BY. 



Camp Dennisox, Dec. 21, 1861. 
Editors Cincinnati Times: 

Gentlemen: — As we hare not seen much notice of ourselves, or 

our regiment, in your well-read and soldierly sheet, lately, we would 
humbly call your kind attention to the following scandalous produc- 
tion, perpetrated by a '"Sargint" in our company, who, though he 
strikes AreenZy and with point at our failings, is, nevertheless, rather 
blunt in his opinions. "We desire, however, kind sirs, that yon will 
bless him with Priw^, though he be d — d by the Printers. 

Re-spectfully, gentlemen, 
CoMPAXT ''H/^ 5th O. Y. C, U. S. a. 



A FEW LIKES TO C0:MPA]S^Y -H/V5TH 0. Y. C, U, S. A. 



BY THE ''SARQIWT. 



Since ''severs" a?e noted, wherever they go, 

For frolic or fighting, are '^fast" or are slow,: ■ 

And each individual's able to teach 

The ''gum'' or the "grab" game, within or 'thout reach; 

Can stock a canteen at a stand or a run, 

And.prime, load and fire, like a son-of-a-gun — 

To pull from the Sutler or henroost is willing, 

"With foemen or women is equally killing; 

Who's qiiick on the ''draw" when he "aims" at an inn, 

But slow in "presenting" when asked for the "tin;" 

Whos^e.fame, Mke small change, lies loosely about hina,. 

(The wag knows the world could icag-OB. without Mm;) 

Who pants for a "breech" in observance of law, 

Tho' d— d are the breeches he's pani-ing to draw. 

In ev'ry mad antic, the top branch and root. 

Hail ! hail ! fellow "sojer," we meet and salute. 

Whom first have we here? What, our Orderly? Pond ! 

The lines, my dear officer you are beyond. 

What's out ? Is the company on the "French" march ? 

The laundress, Sam. Howell, is she out of starch ? 

The Regiment 's dead, if Dame Truth holds my fears. 

That Scofield and Allen are — drunk pioneers. 

Where's Oding and Murray? Both missing, you say? 

Then, bottles, I pity your bellies to-day ! 

O, Davis, friend Sam, and Pat Dignan, so true. 

Are ye stagg'ring off 'thout a "feller ye knew?" 



§1 ^HE ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 

And happy George Ludlum, I always thouglit that 

You'd break me the "brick'* you had whole "in your hat.'* 

Farewell, John McCracken, and Jim, and Mike Mee, 

My spirits are gone with your spirited spree ! 

Hot a Rum-go is this — Jim left in the lurch 

IBy the Wansbro's, Gin-u-wine members of church. 

This day sees me JLZc-ing since Adam forgot, 

And Webster, to bring me where they went — to pot I 

And Overturf, Rice, and our catfish dragoon, 

Ed. Brinkley, are now in some Lager saloon, 

Mit swi hoondert lager mine stoomak to slake 1 

Oh, Smith, Olley Smith, bring back "something to take.^' 

And Kiiig,' our great blow-hard, our blacksmith, where's he ? 

In scratching for whisky, he's itching to Ilea. 

To Baccus' blind court has our Cottman withdrew ? 

Then Mars has but given the devil his due. 

Let Venus preside where our Lawrence has fled. 

He'd rise from his grave being "seven weeks dead !" 

Where's Dolan, the "Bowld sojerboy?" Is he gone, 

With his army of guards ? Ohon ! and ohon I 

And Brennun, our John, ''Fare the divilis he 7 

Blur-an-ouns ! 'twasn't Boteen he wint for, d'ye«ee ? 

The devil. Lord save us, 'twas prompted the tramp — 

For scamp'ring off, John, ye'r the divil's own schamp ! 

There's Appleby, too, he should be an instructor; 

Such conduct becomes not a railroad conduct-or." 

Ajid Caldwell's called ill, at this juncture, I'd say. 

For, tho' **^there's no pitch hot, Old Satan's to pay." 

Where's Higgins' horse ? he's not gone ! have a care ! 

Where Higgins'' horse is, his master is there. 

And Johnson and Mayhugh, I'd take my best oath, 

Ho mudhole is curtained and spread over hothl 

Oh, Orderly, what's your advice that we do ? 

Invoke the red spirits, the gray, white and blue ? 

Call out to the gods, with a Roman's despair, 

And ask how our comrade's are roamin', and where ? 

The Adjutant's coming ! — we'll tell him the story, 

And die like true martyrs, in flame-covered glory. 

Excuse me, good Orderly, but have you got 

A chew of tobacco ? You say that you've not I 

Or whisper — come nearer — pray "give us a dose 

Of that same liquid dye which painted your nose. 



I 



Oil'' 



THE ADYEin:URES OT'X VOLTTNTEER. 

n7r r^J^ii g^feiof- you've remarked. Then why stand prating thus ; 
The men are — abed, you melegant^'cuss/' 
"They Aflije no^ deserted, then, Tom, as it seems ?'' 
Yes, they have departed, friend Pond, to their dreami. 
What, anger'd, good sir ; it was in mere sport ; 

^ I made this addenda to your "morning report/* 

If, first, when we'd met, you'd ''presented'' your flask, - li 

; And "ordered" your quid, there had not been such mj^sk., . ^-^^ 

iBut frolic is cur's, as I said at the first, ''.^fr r^^ 

'!Jv; ;A.nd you're not of Orderly Sergeants the worst ; 
Excuse, pray, the hand which invented this tail, 

V--. J >- And call me defence post whenever you rail. 

And so fair good night, sweetest dreams and repose. 
In seeking our couch we'll each follow — ^his nose; 

' ''■'' Yet, fearing the Colonel might hear of the trick, 

I'll off to the doctor, pretending I'^ sicli^^ '^i^ ^^^^^ W '^^8 
And say our Lieutenants, both gentlemen " civil, .r[£pl \w{0'liB 
Have ordered my physical ills to the devil, ... ,^4. -,t\'^\fr 

dr else to my Captain, McEarland, I'll hie, - 

-'' ' '• And if there's small wool why there'll be but small cry. ~^'' - * 

ji;: r> .All's well ; I've exchanged my old hoots for a blanket^ fiOiOOi) 

,. :. Each covers a calf, for which. Heaven, I thank it. : [i dorfiw 

• About the end of February we were ordered off, and 
tberefbre departed to Cincinnati, getting on board 
steamers far Tennessee river, which we immediately 
accomplished, at the same time bidding farewell to all 
om^ friends and relatives who resided near by. - Then 
we left the city of Cincinnati on six or seven steamers^ 
Major Scherer, our hero in all military matters, com- 
manding the 1st Battallion, Major Ricker the 2nd5 and 
MajorHayes the 3rd. 'boa 

Our boat, the Bostona No. 2, not getting away" 
until one day alter the balance had left, on account of 
the lot of goods and horses we had to place on board; 
we, however, managed to get everything fixed on her, 
and away she went down stream towards Dixie, like 
a good traveler, and we bade good bye to our homes 
until we ended the war, which we expected to do very 



a TOE ADYEHTITEES^OF A TOMNTEEB. 

soon, but wbieh we have iiot yet accomplished, as we 
expected to do at farthest in a month im two. 

Q M McFarland was on board tbIsVsteamer, and 
obtainedc^in tare for a '^non-commissipiied officer'' 
clear throngh to Crump Landing, where a portion ot 
us the 3rd Battallion, got off, as we were ordered to 
do by Gen. Grant, and were placed nnder Gen. Lew 
Wallace, whose division was placgd^|l^§IpBJ^ tour 
miles below Pittsburgh Landing.-- m .-rT^r .-r^^^z:^ 

General Grant is at Savanna, some five miles below 
Crump Landing, and trom thence orders our men to 
certain positions on the river above him. Previous to 
getting this far up the Tennessee we stopped at a de- 
stroyed raih^oad bridge, and viewed it as a handsome 
place to remain at for a few days. We discovered, 
amongst half a dozen honses, one belonging to a rebel 
doctor, which was filled with medicine and books, and 
which the boys destroyed. For what other reason than 
that he caused the trying by a jury there of a Union 
man, and endeavored to have him hung because he was 
in favor, previous to our arrival, of the American flag 
and Government feeling, and was born and bred in the 
North. This Doctor was said to be a poisoner and 
villain in every respect, and we found and imprisoned 
him on board a gunboat, until we eauld send him off 
tOj^ome U. S. prison, as a rebel villain. We did so,t 
and then proceeded on our way up stream, I feeling sd" 
good on account of o7ie rebel capture, that I immedi- 
ately wrote to the Cincinnati Times newspaper an acfi 
count of our present proceedings, and expecting the 
kind permission of permittal to write all the news I 
could to that friendly and accomplished paper wheo-rj 
ever r could do so. The paymaster, Maj. McDowell^ 
was on board our boats, and paid us off between the 



THE ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEmr 



(9t 



bridge and where we landed, whicb made the boys feel 
fine, because they could send by a O. S. Agent^ wha: 
was at that time in company with Maj. McDowell, all 
their money home, if necessary. Many an one of us 
3id so very gladly, and a better cash business never 
happened us while we have been in service as soldiers. 
Kot once^ lae otXt- to mimi&lw omooiy vo oi 

O!i3fard^l0lA,l"S62~'— To-day we passed an elegam® 
fatm house, on the Cumberland river, at which all \im 
darkies in the neighborhood seemed congregated, who 
spread their ivories, and whatever rag of a handker-^ 
chief or other thing they could raise as a token of wet-*? 
come to lis to Dixie, as it existed here. Just below 
there is a site for a fortification, which seems afar more 
eligible position than Fort Donelson or Fort Henry, 
and, if appearances do not always deceive, the rebels 
might have made a stand with a far greater prospect of 
success than at the former positions. The woods along 
the river are very attractive here, not only in appear-- 
ance, but because they shelter fat animals known in^ 
porkopolis, and fowls, which seem to enjoy the gratifi- 
cation of shade and solitude in this most critical period 
of their existence. Near the river-hills we see, as weu 
advance, scouts of rebel cavalry calmJy looking at our^ 
formidable appearance, and wondering, no doubt, at 
Yankee impudence in thus desecrating the sacred 
Southern soil. Passed Brownsville Landing at 9* 
o'clock A. M. River banks low all along this moi'n-r 
ing. Some fifteen miles above here a bold rocky cliff, 
directly facing us, as we advance, varies all the appear- 
ances considerably, it being the most prominent posi- 
tion we have seen along this river. The chain of hills 
here are large, and bear North and South, and these, 

Nature's fortifications, principally composed of stone, 
1* 



10 THE ABVENTtJBES OF A TOLUNTEEK. 

completely command the river, up and down, for 
miles, and wliy tHey are not now bristling with rebel 
cannon is one of the singularities of this war. No 
force, no matter how superior in point of numbers^t 
could have been brought successfully against this^ 
stronghold,, and our bravery would, I fear, have failed^- 
to overcome a tolerable resistance of the enemy here^l 
Gur band are now playing the *^Mocking Bird" on the 
hurricane roof of the boat, and as we pass along upwards 
the negroes, men, women and children, hurrah for u^, 
provided there are no white persons near them ; in fact;-' 
on both shores, the blackbirds greet the music playing 
mocking-birds and their companions with a hearty 
approbation, and we slide past in good feeling of mind 
and body, and think ourselves complete masters in 
every situation we have now, or shall hereafter arrive 
at in any slave position of this Union. vsy^..,. 

Obtained a rebel bullet to-day from a sailor on one of 
our gunboats, who stopped at the same landing, and 
which was flattened against our gunboat at Pittsburgh • 
Landing, and am very greatly obliged for the present, 
I am sure. Major McDowell is on board other boats 
going up, and has paid off the greater portion of 
our regiment. Colonel Taylor is indeed a generous 
man, who endears himself to all by every good impulsovt 
His kindly nature overflows with honorable liberality.' 
Just now he has made a soldier happy, who was un-- 
fortunately overlooked on the pay roll, and who, but- 
for the Colonel, would have had no funds to send his 
suffering family. The Colonel presented him with 
twenty dollars in specie, in order that he would send 
it with gladness to his wife and family. May God re- 
ward him ! We saw Gen. Sherman this afternoon on the 
steamer Continental ; he is a noble-looking soldier and 



THE ADYEKTURES OF A YOrUNTEEE. Ir- 

a^3ef8rmined one, wHb" will not belie his looks, or we 
are all much deceived; the men with him seera to 
think very highly of his talents as a soldier, and hi^'- 
kindness as a man. May he ever remain so is all oiif^ 
hopes. 

^%(Pclock P. Jf.— We have jnst arrived at Savanna!, 
which is a small-sized place on the left bank of th^"^ 
Tennesse^e river, and seemingly of very little import-^ 
ance in a strategic or other point of view. Twenty- 
eight steamers, filled with troops, and two gunboats, 
have arrived here before us. Just previous to a view 
of this place, we stop])ed at a Secesh corn-crib and 
profited our horses thereby. 

:We have landed with several other steamers oppo- 
site to Savanna, and our Zouaves are running round 
with cackling hens and uncrowing roosters under their 
arms, and one fellow is undressing a cock under its 
owner's very window. This is not as it should be, but 
men are (some of them) untameable. The negroes 
seem well contented to remain with their masters, and 
£i,r^ probably satisfied^ or seemingly so, at the present 
time, but they do not care about mingling with some 
of us ; their good behavior, however, is pbssibly owing 
to the presence of several of their masters andot/r gen- 
eral ordets for the time being. 

One of our gunboats started up the river this eve- 
ning to reconnoitre, and she only proceeded some 
^x miles when she had a skirmish with a thousand or 
two of the enemy. She has returned to us unscathed 
and we move up to attend to the gentlemen in the 
morning. 

March 12th. ^ 1862. — We are here still and con- 
tra omimim expectatioiiein hear no notes of prep- 
aration to-day, so far. Boats full of soldiers continue 



12 THE ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEER^ 

to arrive here however, and we must now be at 
least fifty thousand strong. T7"e laughed heart- 
ily = to-day. at the escapade of a couple of infantry 
Boldiers who, influenced to possess a secesh chicken, 
addressed a slave woman, as black as Erebus, ofiering 
to purchase from her. The woman's " eh, eh," how- 
ever was a very energetic and final negative, and the 
rebuked twain drew ofi* a short distance to consider 
the chances, while the slave entered the house to attend 
to three fine corn . cakes browning beautifully at the 
fire. After the council of war, the two outsiders sepa- 
rated, one sneaking around to the back door, the other 
advancing boldly to the front ; he again made proposals 
to buy from the wench, but again received decided 
refusals from Miss Dinah who did not seem to be in 
want of money at that time, or from any such persons. 
Cunningly displaying his money he seemed at least 
to excite the woman 's cupididity to such a degree, that 
she paid but small attention to the cakes inside. At 
this moment the other soldier entered the back door 
which was also open, and seizing upon the pones he 
made tracks. The cakes however, were warmer than 
he supposed, which led to his detection as the colored 
lady heard the noise he made in letting them drop; 
and so she ran to recover her lost property. The soger 
was too quick on the grab for her — seized them [again 
and got to the fence pursued by the negress with her 
club in hand, until the fire in his rear becoming too 
hot, he was forced to jump suddenly into the road,. 
losing, by dropping two and retaining one of the stolen. 
cakes with which he successfully made ofi* as fast as. 
possible. The other rascally partner, the front door 
talking man, swore at his friend calling him thief, ras- 
cal and all other obnoxious, epithets he could think of, 



TBgSr.ADVEKTUEES OF A VOLUISTTEER. 13 

and finished by advising the slave to run and catch 
the villain who took her cakes, and he would assisir 
ber in SO doing. This she was foolish enough to do,f 
when her advisei', strongly tempted no doubt by th^v. 
chance offered to him, picked up the two corn cakes 
lying so very invitingly witliin his grasp, when he too 
made tracks and of course got away vrith his eatable 
plunder. Wq who were present were sorry for the 
poor woman^ and yet we failed to restrain our laughter, 
when she returned, and observed her astonishment—; 
when she discovered the trick played upon her by the^ 
partner of the fellow who had entered the house and 
stole the cakes. Eaising, (on discovery of the other 
one's absence,) her hands to heaven, and exclaimed, 
'' Wall, dere ! ef dat order Lincoln man is'nt gone and 
stole too? Jest as I spected he'd do, jest as I spected ! 
Guess dey'd better come and take ole nigger too, kase; 
we might as well go now as any oder time. Dey will 
take all anyhow. Go long white man," she said exci- 
tingly to another U. S. Soldier, who pretended to con^ 
dole with.h^^,, 'VTou jest as bad as de rest, and ef 
you can fight de secesh da same as you can steal from 
de darkies, you will need a^ many steamboats apiece 
as you all got here now, to convey to de Isorf all de 
plunder you take off de niggars." ^ :v.?t- ^ri-^) 
12 o\locTi M, — Our regiment has received orders 
to mount, and all are busy in preparation. Sabres are 
hastily buckled on, pistols and carbines are examined, 
horses saddled and everything betokens war in reality. 
The Fifth O. V. C. will see service now, as they are 
the vanguard of this immense army, and will of course 
be the first to encounter the enemy, who are said to be, 
in immense force a few miles distant from us here. 
Five Union but Tennessee farmers have just come in 



14 THE AD^TENTUEES OF A YOLUNtEEi^F 

and report the enemy but a short distance in the inte- 
rior. These farmers have just escaped being pressed 
inl6' the Confederate service, by running away and-^ 
seeking our protection. One of the&e fellows w^ho 
seems rathet a young person, and is of tolerable good 
looks, seems to take it hard about the situation in 
whicli he left his wife and small family, and he talks 
as though jealousy existed in his thoughts to a large 
extent at the present time. His ideas of Rebel actions 
are not very good, and his thoughts of a wife's treat- 
merit and her own conduct are not as good as a wise 
man would- publicly express. TO.aj'iijrf. 

4 (ydock\ P. M. — The whole of our force is 
ordered to advance in the steamers, and as I' write* this, 
a portion of us are moving up Stream. 

8 o^cIogJc p. M,- — Gen. Lew. Wallace's brigade 
accompanied by tlie third battalion Fifth O. V. G., 
started up the river led by a Gunboat, in order to 
reconnoitre for a fort held by the Eebels five miles 
above Savanna at Crumps Landing. We are almost 
certain of a brush, but go armed in a juBt cause and 
fearless of consequences. We have arrived at our- 
destination, where w^e are to remain permanently 
witW^Lew; Wallace's division, the left wing of Gen. 
Grants army; while the main body are to -go four 
miles farther to a place called Pittsburgh Landing- 
all are to aw^ait' events in their encampments. May 
they soon be here we wish, and meet them and whale 
them as they deserve. Wallace's brigade is composed 
of the Eighth Missouri Infantry, the Eleventh and the 
Twenty-fourth Indiana, the Forty-fourth Illinois, and 
our Third battallion of Cavalry, besides other regi- 
ments. These are all good soldiers and are anxious 
for fighting and whipping, which we hope soon to 



THE ADVENTnEES 03f ^A VOLUl^rTEEE. 15 

accoroplish. Our tents are up and we feel all right 
here, as thisseenGis a nice place though nearly house-; 

less. ' '^ ^^0 r ;^ T79T J? ^5*'?f 6*!6>'^ '^'^Ht ^l^flw 

Maroh 14:th.^ 1862. — Our battalion is ah^eady: 
ordered out to service ; we^^ a to biirn two railroad 
bridges twenty mile distant on the Memphis and^ 
Charleston railroad near Bethel, Tennesseei^--^''^-^''*>"^^ 

The boys started at 12 o'clock last night, shown" 
the way by Major Hurst formerly a storekeeper in 
Purdy, Mississippi, and a born Southern man ; but a 
Union person who has been badly treated by the 
Secesh because his feeling's were in fa-vor of Unionism 
all the time. His store was taken from him, and his 
family made prisoners until they retired to and lived 
with their relatives near bv ; but Hurst fled ii^time^ 
and got to us soon enough. ^'Sc>- he is safe enough 
though bold as a lion and bra^e as a buU-ciog. 

11 o^cIocJc^ P, M, — Our boys haye started on horse- 
back to burn these bridges, company H, Capt. T n 

leading the van ; but the weather is rainy and dark 
and they have to go private ways to be successful in 
reaching the place and doing the duty they are ordered' 
to do. Major Hayes commands them.*' Tlie soldiers 
lost their way in the woods as they advanced, and it- 
took them about ten hours to reach the Rebel scouts 
guarding the bridges, whom they immediately attacked ' 
and routed, capturing some nine or ten prisoners and 
thereafter destroying the bridges. While they were 
cutting away the second and last, a train filled with 
Eebel soldiers came along ; but the engineer seeing 
the danger of this locality immediately stopped ; and 
our soldiers had to get away soon which they did with- 
out losing a man ; getting to camp by 4 P. M. next 
day. It was a good idea to destroy the transportation 



16 THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

rentes of the Seeesh rascals, as they were in several, 
places at that time, and the idea of keeping them 
where they were was a very good one on our Generals 
part, 

iiM^^ok Wth^yl8d2. — Our boys have again departed 
to finish the bridge-burning duties they have to perforin, 
and went a dietance of thirty miles from here, near which - 
the enemy has (it is reported,) a force of about eight thou, 
sand Infantry and seven hundred Cavalry. The remarks 
of our Infantrymen upon the setting out of our boys that: 
^' There goes the green Cavalry on a scout," was 
rather uncalled for ; and the result of our going away 
showed very plainly that sometimes the gentlemen on 
foot are neither '^ Prophets nor sons of Prophets." 
We returned after performances of duties which we as 
well as the Infantry enjoj^ed on our return quite well 
indeed. General Smith highly complimented us, and 
in a General Order No. 4, gave thethanks of the whole 
division to us, officers and.-ine% for gallant and meri- 
torious conduct. •., .:\r 1;:.' 

Marek l7th.^lS62, — The Infantry are raising their 

tents on shore this morning which is a good idea, since 

the steamers have become dirty because of being over- 

Ci'owded, and consequently are unhealthy. The water 

is also bad, as we have to make use of the Cumberland 

river as a spring to drink from, and it is too muddy at 

present for any such business. In consequence of 

having to drink this water a great many of our soldiers 

have taken the diarrhoea which was at first seemingly of 

a mild type, but has become fatal in some instances 

recently here. We trust not to remain here a great 

length of time, to get rusty like unused blades for want 

of proper handling. 

What magnificent weather we are having the last 



^ THE ABYENTIJE^ OF A VOLUNTEEK. 17 

two days ; the birds are entertaining themselves and 
us with sweet son^Si The trees are in bnd and. bios- 
som,and in fact ail animated nature except man alone 
'^ are' enjoying that peace, happiness and sweet repose 
their Maker and Lord intended them for.OH' eiarth.: 

J/arcA 19^A.,rl862. — What a mournful sight is a 
soldiers funeral? some poor fellow is being followed to 
his last resting place this morning by his comrades, 
with reversed arms, slowly marching to solemn music, 
with grief depicted in there countenances, Alas ! 
how many of these brave fellows now. full of life and 
health may fill a grave on the banks of the Tennessee 
ere they leave it!: The remarks of Oaptain Carroll of 
tbe steamer J. B. Ford on his observing the procession, 
^at "the water of this river would send many more 
of us the same road, if we stayed here much longer," 
strikes us, like one of Cicero's orations, as being forci- 
ble, and as much to the point. Why are we kept 
here idly ? The General commanding this brigade has 
ordered the men on shore, in order to give tb em the 
benefit of pure air and spring w^ater, which if accom- 
plished, will certainly greatly lessen the tendency of 
disease amongst us, and probably induce this Tennes- 
see looseness -to relieve us of its presence. Our bri- 
gade (a portion of it) composed of a few companies of 
Infantry, completely surrounded one hundred Rebel 
soldiers last night and took them all prisoners. We 
are to go out scouting again shortly after dinner. 
Eight hundred additional Rebel prisoners passed us 
hereto-day ; they were taken by Gen. Smith's division 
some miles beyond us. Immediately thereafter we 
went out scouting, commanded by Major Hayes.. 

8 6^ deck P. ^.— We have just returned from our 
foray and a glorious one it was, not so much from its 



IB MfE M)Y:E]SrTUKES (MP A VOLUNTEER^ 

benefit to the cause perhaps, ias to oiir'pferstyn a! gratifi- 
cation. We left our camp (Crump's Landing,) at one 
o'clock P. M., and along an excellent road to Adams- 
ville five miles from the river, where the Rebel cavalry- 
reported four hundred strong, (fifty more than ours.) 
had told the denizens in a boastful manner, that they 

would meet us to-day and drive us to h 1 or some- 

other seaport ; but the lads of the South took good care 
to be out of the way when w'e arrived ; consequently 
we thought we would pay them a home visit in a civil 
sort of a way, and so kept on close to Purdy, where 
five regiments of Rebel Infantry divide their quarters 
with those boastfully chivalric riders who failed to^ 
meet us where they represented they would. Three 
miles this side of Purdy we saw the first armed Rebel 
pickets, whom wedrove in in company with their con- 
freres, and captured some of them in sight of tkeir 
whole army. We halted on top of a hill in full view, 
and within a mile of Purdy, which latter seems a place 
of gome consequence. It is well situated in a valley,\ 
and excellently built for a small Tennessee town. 
Here we viewed the whole Rebel army as they came <m 
toward us in a double quick, and a fine sight it was. 
They were apparently well armed and drilled, and were 
Headed by a gallant looking General officer who seemed 
quite in earnest, until he saw the buckeye eye-balls, 
which had the efifect to cove his present ardor, and he 
therefore ordered a halt, while we, too few to face so 
immense a force, after firing a couple of rounds 
slowly and in good order retired unmolested ; never 
even going as fast as a trot until we reached our camp 
again. The only loss we met with was in horse flesh, 
Lieutenant Murray's animal, a noble brute, being killed 
in the picket fight. Our gallant fellows seemed sok 



THE ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 19 

diers born, and k«ew not their present vocation until 
they saw and encountered the enem3^ The inhabitants 
of the country we passed through yesterday, are much 
divided in opinion on this war ; the' greater number 
strongly avow Union principles and wish for peace and 
fraternity again. The few opposed to these sentiments 
are bitterly prominent, and take every way to injure 
those whom they suspect to favor peace on any condi- 
tions whatever. 

One poor old man whom we met yesterday at Adams- 
ville told us that his only son, a youth 18 years of age, 
had been forced, on pain of death, to join the rebel 
Capt. Piatt's company of cavalry, and made to assist 
in the robbing of his own father and his neighbors of 
their corn, fodder and provisions. He (the old man) 
begged us, with tears in his ej^es, to inform him if 
Piatt's whole company was not captured at Savanna 
yesterday by a portion of our army. We told him we 
believed they were, and that if his son was amongst 
them, he, his father, could, get to see him by an appli- 
cation to the commanding officer, which gratified the 
old man intensely and he limped away, (for he was 
lame, poor soul,) after distributing all the tobacco he 
had with him amongst us, at the same time blessing 
our noble cause, and all concerned in upholding it. , 
He was only too happy to know that his son was safe 
in our hands, and he said he would make his little 
household happy when he got home with the intelli-^ 
gence he had received from us. The country along 
our route was composed of a sandy, but in some pla- 
ces a well watered soil, which (the land) must, if well 
cultivated, be productive in corn, potatoes and fruit, 
which we had some strong evidences of as we 
went along. The people seem well to do, and would 



20 THE ADVEKTUEES OF A VOLTJNTEEK. 

be Tindoiibtedly happy in peaceful tknes, as they are 
comfortably housed, cleanly and healthy at this date. 
When Peace smiles upon a bountiful land, how happif^> 
are its people ! How much to be envied, and how 
great our Father in Heaven should be glorified t But 
when a nation, against the dictates of humanity and 
the commands of the Supreme Being, engage in war 
against each other, brother against brother and father 
against son, then the lessons of life can be gath- 
ered from every hilltop and valley in the land. 
May this soon end, and Southern men again acknowl^' 
edge their duty to the Flag of our whole country. 
Gen. Smith has just issued an order making it death 
to steal, or carry away unpaid for, the property of anyi 
person whatever, and intends enforcing it strictly. Thi^^ 
is as it should be. What right have we to tak^ and 
carry away the goods belonging to others? One of the 
beneficial efiects resulting from this order was appa- 
rent the other day, and saved the innocent females in 
an elegant mansion near our camp. The matter was 
this: A doctor of secesh proclivities, on the approach' 
of our troops, fled to the rebel camp, leaving every-' 
thing behind him, even his wife and his daughter, (the 
latter a beautiful young lady of 17, highly educat^d^ 
and accomplished,) to the mercy of the invaders; Ou?^ 
force pitched their tents in close vicinity to their 
residence and hearing; shortly after this, a party formed 
of 20 or 30 soldiers, proceeded at once toward the' 
place, in order to raze the house to the ground and, 
plunder it of its contents. '^^ -^lum-sim 

On the first appearance of our fleets, the ladies being 
deserted by the husband and, father, as before stated, 
made preparations foi' immediate departure, and had 
packed some portion of the household goods, when the 



^:7lfHE ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 21 

^noisy riotous crew arrived, intent on the work of de- 
/^truction. They commenced operations by breaking 
in the front door, to the extreme fright of the women 
i^nd their colored people, and seizing. the piano and 
other elegant articles of furnitnre with loud shouts, and, 
despite the tears of the trembling ladies, carried them 
oif towards the door, intending to deliver them to the 
tender mercies of that portion of their party remaining 
outside. At this moment one of our cavalry team- 
Bters, named Perkins, attracted thither by the' 
noise, now stood at the door and, remonstrating with 
4be ruffians, begged them, for the sake of their own 
mothers and sisters at home, to desist. This gallant 
'/ellow would then have met with harsh treatment, but 
.that an officer, casually passing the house at this time, 
came to Perkins' assistance, and commanded the fel- 
lows to disperse, which they did very grumblingly ; 
and a guard being placed at the door relieved the in- 
mates from farther molestation. The order of our 
General, inflicting the death penalty; for any similar 
outrage in future, has frightened the rowdy portion of 
onr men into quiescence, and has placed a wholesome 
restraint upon all the evil-disposed ones we are cursed 
with. This looks like civilized warfare, and fanatical 
■ j)ulpit thumpers, and bigoted fellows will discover that 
Irave men enlist to fight the battles of their country 
and not to rob, plunder and destroy. 

March 22nc?.— ^One of our Lieutenants shot a color- 
ed servant yesterday by accident. These frequently 
recurring accidents are uncalled for. There are too 
many gentlemen in this army, and too few poor indi- 
viduals ; the first draw extremely liberal pay and com- 
mit accidents often and criminally ; the latter rather 
amall wages, considering they are often the head and 



S2 THE ADYENTUPvES OF A VOLtTNTEieK* 

always the arm of a squad, company, or, perhaps even 
a battallion. So wags the world. The killed servant's 
name is John Curtis. He formerly kept a barber shop 
next door to Eeinlein's drug store, on the corner of 
Eighth and Freeman streets, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

March 23rd. — We have had large additions made 
to our forces here until we arc now nearly, or quite, 
70,000 strong. Gen. Smith commands; he is a fine, 
genial looking man, and is as friendly and conversable 
* as any shoulder-gilt gentleman in the army, and is un- 
doubtedly the idol of his men, who leave all knotty is- 
sues to their General, and his decision is always justifi- 
ably answering to the appeals they often make to him. 
His affability is never at fault, and proclaims more for 
him than his compeers (many of them) can boast of^ 
•so far. - > 

Kebel armed and unarmed men are coming into this 
camp every day in squads as many as 20, but more 
frequently from 4 to 10, and claim our protection, or 
join our army at once. In fact they nearly, or quite, 
all join at once. They are certainly welcome, and this 
proves how true is the principle upheld by those in 
power, that the Constitution should remain unaltered^ 
and all men have their just rights as heretofore, in 
property of all kinds, held as well in the South as in 
the North. Two of our boys were speaking to-day 
about politics. One was a democrat and the other a 
republican. They were arguing strongly on political 
matters, and finally came to blows, because the demo- 
crat thought the President of the U. S. wise in ap- 
pointing Scott, Stanton and Bates as council friends, and 
putting out of office friend Simon Cameron, for good 
reasons and excellent judgment. The fight was, how- 
ever short, and one of the sutlers' shops closed by en- 



.iffHE ADVEISTTURES OP A VOLUNTEEK, 28 

tertainment the words and blows of both Democrat and 
fRepublican. They trusted to end the fight shortly 
when they commenced it, ^s they will the war now go- 
ing 0u between North and South. We all hope they 
are as true in the latter wish as they were in the 
former.: ^ ur;o..: • ■ .-.-i iu 3^:.uy:.::^nvii..:.^^ 

I am ordered this P; M; np to Pittsbm'gh Landing, 
which is 4 miles up the river from here, in order to 
obtain clothing from our Quartermaster there for the 
Tennesseeans whom we have lately obtained here as 
recruits. 

4 jP. M, — Have arrived, and am taken in a wagon 
to Shiloh Church, near which place are the principal 
quarters of our regiment. Troops are encamped all 
along on both sides of this rough road, and seem quite 
at home, enjoying themselves gaily in all sorts of inno- 
cent amusements. They look in far better health than 
our boor boys belov/. Whether they will, in conse- 
qence^Jic/ht better, remains to be proved. They, did 
quite well yesterday, however, on a scout. They had 
been ordered to examine'the road towards Corinth, and 
went so close to the enemy's pickets, unexpectedly, as 
to capture General Marks and his Orderly Sergeant, 
who were both snugly ensconced at the house of the 
former, they not having the remotest idea that the 5th 
O. V. C. were as close and as impudent as to lay their 
sacriligious hands on the sacred person of a great rebel 
General. We also obtained some 45 bales of cotton, 
one ton of powder, some valuable fodder and grain ; 
also a superb horse, owned by the aforesaid General, 
who can ride his hohhy now in close quarters, rather 
than confinement to horseflesh at large. Wonder 
whether he prefers' a canter now on horseflesh or a de- 
canter on foot. The rebel General's house is a very 



24 THE ADVENTUEES OF A t^ODUKTEER. 

fine looking domicile, and is well eituated here in reb- 
eldom. There are some fine looking females about the 
premises who seem to think too much of the position 
now occupied by themv One of the ladies was rather 
talkative at the time of our appearance, and very 
demonstrative in regard to morals possessed just then. 
One of our men seemed dry, and asking her, arj she 
stood in a door, to please give him a drink of water, 
she, using chewing tobacco in manly style, sent a spit 
at him which struck his face so evenly and nicely that 
he thanked her for so much kindness in furnishing him 
with a drink she used herself, and he went ofi" amid the 
laughter of his companions and the jokes of his friends. 
This was all the trouble anj'- of our boys had, however, 
in this scout, and they returned to their camp, shortly 
afterwards in great good humor. Generals Grant and 
Sherman are both here, near to Shiloh Church ; the 
former is in command of us all, who amount to 70,000 
men now, and probably more. The steamer Tigress is 
the mailboat from Savanna to Pittsburgh Landing, and 
is now waiting at the latter place to bring Gen. Grant 
back again to the former place, where many pretty girls 
reside, some of whom made acquaintance with our 
leading officer as we first arrived. These pretty maids 
are sisters to a rebel officer ; and, though they talk 
very well to our Generals and their aid-de-camps, they 
believe in Southern views more strongly than in North- 
ern matters. ' ^^^ 

March 'ihth, — To-day wrote to the Cincinnati Times, 
a good, and true, and well-liked paper. Gen. Smith 
reviewed several regiments this morning, and seemed 
greatly pleased at their appearance and performances. 

They were a splendid body of men truly, and he who 
cannot view them with a glow of patriotic emotion 



THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 25 

filling his breast, must be either an imbecile or a 
traitor. Saw two or three pencil scratchers on horses 
taking notes : they seemed like crows in a spring 
cornfield — ready to peck but unable to find sufiicient 
to feed on. • flleturned by steamer to Crump's Landing, 
which is becoming unhealthy, as a day scarcely passes 
without lessening our number of poor fellows. To-day 
I met a soldier bareheaded and barefooted, weeping 
violently and wringing his hands in seeming despair. 
His only brother had just died in the pesthouse of 
smallpox, and this devoted relative who had waited 
news of him daily at the hospital door, had but now 
been told of his death. He seemed almost crazed, and 
his heart wrung groans, and piteous exclamations 
would have drawn tears from the hardest heart. We 
are making a graveyard in sight of the river at the 
top of the landing, which is fast becoming of large 
extent. It was here the body of this young man's 
brother was placed. 

To-day three members of our battalion were taken 
prisoners near Adamsville, where they were standing 
guard, and the balance were compelled to retreat a 
short distance as the Rebels were six to one of our 
Cavalry ; and they retreated too in a short time, as all 
our force went to hunt them up pretty soon afterwards. 

We have some geniuses in our company who are 
worthy of notice, and I shall treat of their peculiarities 

frequently. One of them Patrick D n by name, 

by birth a native of Connaught, is one of the humor- 
ous souls iq.our crowd, and creates many a laugh by 
his knave expressions and droll stories. His fund is 
never exhausted, and he rains the hot shot of his wit 
upon us continually. He is a brave fellow too, and 

cold as an iceberg under fire. Instance the other day 
2 



26 THE ADYENTUEES OF A A^OLUNTEEK. 

when we had chased the Kebel pickets into then- camp- 
and there we stood upon the hill top watching their 
whole army as they came on at iis in a double quick. 
Pat, whose horse is rather short in the fore-legs cried 
out as we started back, '^ Well boys, idivil a days 
Inefc ever I'll have afther losing this fine chance af 
that Kebel Gineral below." '' What chance," asked 
one of us who did'nt see it. '' What chance d'ye ax 
me is it," he exclaimed, turning a laughing eye at all 
the company about him. '' What chance, ye lepre- 
hauns, why thin I'll tell you since ye are such blind 
divil's as not to see it yerselves. You obsarve that 
Rebel Gineral coming up at us thin do you ? very well ! 
Now look you a down on this baste annunther me ; do 
you see thim both ? You do ? Very well. Now if 
my horse instead of being a half cousin or so was a 
full blooded kangaroo, an' I was down behind that 
cocked hat Rebel villain, could'nt I bate him seven tv- 
five yards in a hundred up any hill in America ; an' 
take him and his soord and all that he has on him as 
gay as he looks? — tell me that now." And Pat 
looked triumphantly around him as if to challenge a 
contradiction to his assertion, which no one venturing 
to offer, Pat clinched his argument by remarking that, 
'>From the lingth of a kangaroos hind legs, he'd be hard 
to navigate down a hill ; but," he added with emphasis, 
'' I'd defy the divil himself to a fair race up one." 

We have just had another grand review ; this tiin^ 
the whole division is out and a magnificent sight it is. 
What a fine array our one battallion of four hundred 
horsemen make at the head of this fine looking body 
of men. Then comes two batteries of guns, after 
which six regiments of Infantry march around and do 
permanent duty to all received orders. 



THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 27 

March 29tfi,^ 1862. — Five hundred Cavalry, called 
the Curtis horse, arrived at Savanna yesterday from 
St. Louis on the A. M. McDowell. They have been a 
short time at Fort Henry, and are well drilled men 
seemingly. One of them,' a private soldier who 
seemed jovial over his advance into Rebeldom, so 
much so, that he wrote home to the effect tfiat when 
he next wrote home, his friends and neighbors had' 
better be ready to remove to Dixie, as he had a plan- 
tation already with a big stock of negroes picked out 
for each of them. And that the unmarried young 
men had better remain so awhile, as the young Secesh 
ladies were fit to tie too, and anxious to solve such 
knotty questions ; and were willing to be obedient to. 
any of the mudsill fellows who came on and offered^ 
themselves up without loss of time. Some of the 
belles are seemingly quite willing to be wrung in token 
of joy at our approach ; in some instances, and in such 
cases (if true,) if females were fortresses, a short sie^e 
and plenty of ammunition would be all the articles re- 
quired to render them defenceless, and willing to im- 
mediately come to proper terms. So much for the 
Curtis horseman who may be a logician or otherwise; 
but "if so why so," as Captain Cuttle says in a wise 
way, or, remarkable manner. 

Transportation here has become hard to obtain unless 
to particular persons ; and those having control of 
these matters, display considerable favoritism in many 
cases where it is neither requisite nor desirable. It is 
sometimes called Military necessity, etc., etc. ; bully 
for the necessitous with shoulder straps ; they sometimes 
talk as if becoming impoverished in the prosecution of ^ 
this war. A special law for their benefit and to secure 
their creditors ought to pass both Houses without a ' 



28 THE ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

dissenting voice, for their sure and immediate good. 
*' Let her rip who's afeared !" 

March 30ih,, 1862. — Our boys are on picket duty 
every night and are pretty severely tasked, having 
camp duty also to perform. The general routine is in- 
cluded in the following : — -5 o'^elock A. M, — "We rise, 
wash and prepare for roll call. 6|-. — EoU call, feed 
and curry horses. 6, breakfast, clean sabres and ac- 
coutrements, guns, pistols, etc., etc. 10 d^clocTc^ drill 
on foot till 12 M. 2 o^cloch P. M. — Company drill 
on horses until 4 P. M. Battalion drill. 5^-, dress 
parade, after which supper. This with other duties, 
such as acting orderlies for General officers, obtaining 
provisions for the men and forage for horses keep us 
pretty busy, and leaves us very little time we can call 
our own. We manas^e however to get through verv, 
well, andoften with a degree of alacrity very commend- 
able innewly raised troops. 

April 4:t/i,^ 1862. — On account of illness my 
journal skips over the intervening week, nothing 
worthy of record has transpired, except a few slight 
Bkirmishes in which we have been but partially en- 
gaged. The recent boldness of the enemy seems to 
predict a warm future for us, and a strong determina- 
tion on the part of the foe to contest our farther ad- 
vance into the interior. Our battalion are camped 
close to two great fighting regiments composed, of the 
Eighth Missouri, and the Eleventh Indiana, whose 
morals are, by many said to be none of the best, 
although there bravery is undoubted. The Eighth 
Missouri especially, are without doubt as a body, 
pretty hard customers to deal within any way you take 
them ; and are no way tender in regard to the leelings 
of others. They play poker with curious success all 



THE ANYENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 29 

over the camp^ and deplete the pockets of outsiders 
who engage them with cards or dice in short metre. 
A fellow belonging to the Eighth Missouri, a private 
known to his comrades as '' Ked," ( probably from the 
color of his hair,) was guilty of rather a mean trick 
to-day in the presence of a crowd congregated around 
a chuckaluck board — and chuckled finally at his own 
meanness. A sick soldier influenced by the pretended 
good luck of the •' ropers in " around him, was induced 
to stake his little means on the figure six, which he 
won ; and placing the whole amount in his vest pocket, 
started away saying, that now he could send to his 
suffering wife and two children at home, enough to 
keep them from starvation until next pay day ; he was 
accosted by ^' Red " who, failing to influence him '' to 
try his luck again," deliberately robbed the poor fel- 
low by picking his pockets and running off with his ill 
got booty. And this too in plain view of the congre- 
gated gamblers and lookers on present at the time and 
place. The plundered man immediately discovered 
his loss, and pursued the thief who dodged behind a 
large sutlers tent, but was pointed out and stopped, 
when he boldly denied the theft ; and pulling off his 
coat offered fight to this weak man, who w^as wholly 
unable to defend himself. '' Red " being a sort 
of shoulder-hitter by profession, and well known as 
such to all our army, of course bantered in vain, and 
so he got away. We never heard if the offender was 
held to any account for this action, but do not think he 
was. There are some gentlemen in the Eighth Mis- 
souri, who are much disgraced by having villains of 
this fellows stamp in any way connected with them, 
and who would undoubtedly use every endeavor to 



so THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER^ 

r« - 

bring to merited justice so mean a scamp, were the 
matter properly made known to them. 

April 5t/i.^ 1862.— There is a report cmTcnt in camp 
to-da3% that the Secesh are in strong force between us 
and Corinth, and that onr skhmishers have had sev- 
eral small fights in the last ten or twelve hours with 
the Eebel advance guard. We wonder if they dare 
advance and attack us in force sufficient to give us all 
a chance for glory ? We . hope they will dare it, and 
meet their just deserts at our hands. We will grant 
them the earliest opportunity they desire to try the 
" Mudsills '' on. The boast that one fireater can whip 
five Yankees in a fair fight, means thereby^ and in- 
cludes of course all the men of the free States. We West- 
erners, poor devils, being too insignificant in their esti- 
mation as soldiers, are not of course, taken into any con- 
sideration by these heroes of the South ; and the only 
reason why we have been so long permitted to dese- 
crate with our hated presence the '' Sacred Soil," is prob- 
ably because the chivalry being naturally the politest, 
bravest, gayest, most heroic, generous, lively, whole- 
Bouled, truthful, modest, and generally and promiscu- 
ously tremendous humorists, a wondering, admiring 
world has ever humbly looked at from afar, are only 
waiting to send their Beau-regards to us, ere they 
feast us on their butternuts. Their hospitality shall 
be reciprocated ; let them supply the meal and we will 
furnish the desert to them. Not to be outdone in 
politeness, we agree to accompany the gentlemen back 
to the place they came from, and attend to some of 
their affairs gratis^ afterwards. Let them come when 
they please, the sooner the better. The Mudsills are 
quite anxious to tender them a grand reception, the 
warmth of which will probably surprise them ; but 



THE ADVENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 31 

whether agreeably or otherwise this deponent sayeth 
not. 

-We were separated permanently from the first and 
second battalions of our regiment some time since, and 
we the third battalion are now with the brigade of Gen, 
Lew. Wallace with whom we have considerable duty to 
do. The men here continue to suffer from diarrhoea 
and fever, and are dying quite fast — poor fellows. We 
have not sufficient force of doctors to attend them, and 
no regular hospitals. Stores for the sick are likewise 
r^rj/ scarce. If all the army is similarly fixed then 
our wonder will cease at so many fatal terminations to 
diseases, which under ordinary circmstances are of 
easy cure. We should be supplied by every loyal 
State with a corps of nurses and such other necessaries 
as the sick require. It will be a sad hour to many a 
poor fellow who falls wounded on the field, unless we 
are supplied with these desirable articles. But no 
matter ; we will leave to fate our destinies, and say no 
inore in regard to this matter. We started out this 
evening,- and arrived at Adamsville where v/e saw two 
or three, pretty girls, who reside in the place, for the 
first time. They, on the previous occasions of our ar- 
rival, being so shy or Unionistic that they would not 
show us how sweet and good looking they W'ere. 
l^ow with the sweet — bitter also predominating in 
their faces — we escaped heart whole. 

The very handsomest girl, however, in this neigh- 
borhood is, I am happy to say, as strongly in favor of 
our noble cause as her female neighbors are against us. 
Per brother joined our company some days since, and 

is as good a member as Captain T n has in his 

company. His name is McQuirter, and he has unfor- 
tunately been somewhat ill recently. To-day he was 



32 THE ADTENTTJKE8 OF A YOLUNTEEB. 

visited by his sister, Miss Mary, the young lady I 
speak of, which resulted in the iiDconditional surrender 
of all the unmarried young men's hearts who saw her. 
What a small thing will sometimes change a man's 
opinion ; yesterday our boys thought this part of Ten- 
nessee the vilest portion of the world, iand swore they 
wouldn't be compelled to live in it for the wealth of 
the Indies. To-day, since they saw one of the lovely 
productions of the soil, (Miss Mary) they all, to a man, 
vow that a hut here in the wilderness, with Mary as 
the presiding deity, would be happiness beyond com- 
parison, and an abode fit for the gods, i Speaking of 
Miss McQuirter, reminds us of the story of Kincaid's 
loss. He is a near neighbor to the lass' father, and is 
owner of a larsre flour mill in close vicinitv. Kincaid 
has been badly treated by his rebel friends and he de- 
termined shortly to cut his military acquaintances, one 
of whom (General Cheathem, who seems, in this case, 
to be a cheat-'em by nature as well as by name,) cer- 
tainly deserves this desertion by Kincaid. The facts 
in regard to the case are these: Kincaid, who was 
wealthy previous to the rebellion, used to be an intense 
fire-eater. Since, and probably before the war broke out, 
he not only voted for the Ordinance of Secession him- 
self, but influenced others by every means in his power 
to do the same, and to swear by every means in their 
power to use all the money they were possessed of to 
support the cause, if necessary. For this Kincaid re- 
ceived much praise and commendation at the time, and 
of course became a very distinguished person in the 
estimation of his fellow traitors. ''Talk then was 
cheap," but Jack found out very soon that "it often 
takes money to buy whisky." The war, first being oif 
at a distance, he could talk and swagger away to his 



THE ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 33 

heart's content. By and by, however, along comes 
Gen. Grant and his patriotic forces to Eittsburg Land-- 
ing, and so, too, comes the rebel force under Cheathem, 
who encamped at a proper and safe distance from us ; 
and in Jack Kincaid's close vicinity, and led to the 
thing about to be narrated here. The rebels, it seemsy 
fell somew^hat short of flour and other necessaries of 
feed shortly after their arrival, and so a couple of hun- 
dred of them paid the mill a visit in the absence of its 
owner, who was even then on his way to pay his re- 
spects to Gen. Cheathem. The rebel fellows, of course, 
thinking it all right, proceeded to load their horses and 
teams with as much of so noble an adherent's flour, 
corn and fodder as they could possibly carry away, 
made off leisurely to their camps, exultant at the near 
prospect of so glorious a feed for mau and beast, and 
gratified that they were the first recipients of the nota- 
ble generosity of the amiable and devoted Jack. They 
were met on the road, however, by the owner, who, 
unconscious of the wrong they did him, and being 
highly pleased with the very favorable reception he 
had met with from their General, greeted them with '« 
smile, and wished them every success in all their under 
takings; he passed unsuspiciously on, then, towards 
home, singing Dixie as he went. The tune was 
quickly changed when he arrived and was informed of 
what had happened during his absence. Jack, who 
was anything but pious, was said to be awful in his 
anger, and he fully sustained his reputation irl 
this instance, as he was the author 'nbw X)f some 
twenty odd, and heretofore unlieard, oaths, with unmeti- 
tionable maledictions in this paroxysm of rage antf 
despair. Be this as it may; Jack, foaming. with 

wrath, rem.ounted his steed and bade his astonished 
2* 



|Mt THB AI>VENTUEE8 >F A VOLUNTfiEB. 

friends prepare to hear of the complete destruction of 
the whole plundering party on his return. 

Ho set spurs to his horse then, and never slackened 
his rein until he was again in front of Cheatheni's 
quarters and ordered to halt by the guard. Kincaid 
had no other idea but that this functionary, on being 
placed in possession of all the circumstances of the 
robbery, would order out all the offending party for 
immediate execution, and already saw in imagination 
the guilty scoundrels swept from the earth by the 
deadly yolleys of their executioners. 

Being politely invited into the presence of the Gen- 
eral, he stated his grievance, interspersing his narra- 
tive with many of his irreverant coinages, and con- 
cluded by requiring immediate redress of his wrongs. 
This was promised him on the morrow by Cbeathem, 
who pretended great and virtuous indignation, and de- 
clared the perpetrators unfit to exist, covered as they 
were with eternal indelible infamy and shame in the 
0yes of the whole civilized world. ''To-morrow, my 
friend, to-morrow," said the General, and his eyes as- he 
spoke were trying to fill with sympathetic tears. 'Pub- 
lic and important business being less imminent to-mor^; 
row^ I shall thoroughly sift this matter, and you shaH 
have justice done you, though the heavens fall. Bring 
with you an estimate of your loss, and I shall feel only 
too much honored in covering it with Coniederato 
bonds at six per cent. No thanks, my dear friend^ 
and farewell until to-morrow'.' Jack bowed gladly to 
this news, and, bidding the General a short farewell^ 
mounted the old mare, highly elated at these promises 
and determined to swell the estimate to enormous pro- 
portions, in order, to cover , all after losses, and thus, 
W^^^ se^u^e himself m,^^ ^pv^i^.^^^n^,^ 

^2 ' 



THk '"abtentures of^'i^xSlunteee. 85 

fliere are any patriotic gentlemen of this stamp on onr 
side? 'We hope not. While Kincaid was being ^coti- 
gratulated on his return home by his friends, the object 
of his errand to Oheathera was being iioised about in the 
rebel camp; and had Jack known what Was intended by 
them, if he kept the next day's appointment, he would 
scarcely have wasted the amount of pajier and time tie 
did that night on the Estimate. 

Next day liincade taking with him a few friends 
whom he desired to witness his triumph, proceeded 
gaily on to his destination, and arrived as tire R^bsl"; 
General vras about to enjoy the noon meal. The grim 
Chief seemed wholly taken by surprise at the uncalled 
for. intrusion of his yesterday's friend, and asked in no 
pleasant tone if it was expected by every one in gen- 
eral, and John Kincade in particular, that he should 
deny himself the proper occasion of food, in order to 
hear the petty complaints of every trudge and tramper 
about the country. ^ Jack was thunderstruck, and made 
a meek reply, supposing it best under the circum- 
stances ; atid so he handed to Ihe scarless hero, a for- 
midable looking bundle of papers, muttering some- 
thing about yesterday and the estimate. 
"'^ What estimate, and be d — — -d to you! Oh, I see-! 
You are the same fellow who came to me yesterday 
with a long string of lies about being robbed of prop- 
ei\v, which, according to your previous boastings 
belongs to the Confederate Government. You gave 
it, as you said, freely^ and now you come to me with a 
^hine dhont property \ Away with you Sir, and 
think yourself fortunate that 1 allow you to depar 
unscathed from hence. Do you think because you are 
a knave that I am consequently a fool ! Guard ! see 
these individuals beyond the lines ! Mark this ruffian 



36 TOE APVJENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

well ; and should he again enter them, hang him to 
the first tree without any ceremony whatever. Jack's 
woeful appearance may be better imagined than de- 
scribed, as he was dragged rather than led through the 
Kebel camp ; and had not a word to repel the upbraid- 
ings of the friends who came with him, and were as 
unceremoniously treated as himself by the chivalry of 
camp Cheatem. The Knight of the dolorous counte- 
nance certainly never looked more chopfallen than the 
owner of the mill did upon this occasion. He had 
learned a lesson, however, which he intended to profit 
by immediately, and thus partially consoling himself, 
he reached home a wiser if not a better man. John, 
was not destined by fate to escape thus easily ; for he 
had left home with the estimate but a short time, when 
a more numerous and noisy body of soldiers than the 
first, arrived at his house, which they ransacked of 
everything they could lay their liands on ; and then 
departed leisurely, taking with them also a splendid lot 
of cattle, which the owner a stiort time previous 
refused a round sum for. The mill was also robbed of 
everything it possessed of any value, and Kincade, on 
discovery of this heavy loss was nearly crazed, and 
determined on a positive revenge which he is now 
accomplishing secretly, but through others who fre- 
quently give us good intelligence of every important 
matter they find out, which is very right on their part. 
Kincade is no longer a favorer of Secession, and has 
found out too late, which party respects men's rights. 
He knows now, and properly too, what a ti*aitor has to 
expect at the hands of fellow traitors. ^: ,,,n .,v ;.. ' 

We still remain at Crump's Landing and except 
considerable scouting, and two or three skirmishes; we 
have laid dormant here, so far. The days move slowly 



THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 37 

and our movemeDts are to use a railroad phrase '' behind 
time." Our hopes of ending this war in two or three 
months are not so flattering as we were led to believe, 
and render some of the home loving among us a little 
despondent ; not of the eventual result or fear any 
force the enemy may bring against us, but because 
every thing seems to move along at a snails pace ; as if 
our leaders were anxious for their own benefit to pro- 
long the strife until the nation demands action or the 
army becomes disgusted with the service. We do not 
expect to advance upon the foe for weeks to come, and 
unless Mahomet comes to the mountain the mountain 
will not come to Mahomet. There may be strong 
reasons however, for this inertness, and all may event- 
ually turn out right. Men of humble positions in the 
armies cannot be qualified to judge of military neces- 
sities, and therefore look more to effects than causes. 
There are some happy fellows in camp to-day, not- 
withstanding its dull sameness, and we all manage 
in this manner when we receive letters, as we have 
to-day from our loved ones at home. 

My dear wife and child are both enjoying good 
health, and think of the weary soldier afar in the 
enemy 'S land, surrounded by dangers ; their love mag- 
nifies into awful peril. Ah, who can tell what a thrill 
of joy swells through the breast of the absent volun- 
teer on the receipt of this sweet, persuasive token of 
love from the beings most dear to him on this broad 
earth, and whom iie may never be permitted to clasp 
in his fond embraces again. Oh, may He who rules 
the Universe be propitious to them, and guard them 
from every harm. How lovingly a fond wife writes 1 
How unwrithingly her affection breaks out when she 
says in ker letter, that she is teaching our baby to say 



38 THE AbVEKTUKES OE A' vbitfOT^EEi 

'^ Papa ; " and also desires should I be taken i!T, l& 
have permission to conae and nurse me back to health- 
again. Would this was according to our regulations, 
it would be the means of saving many lives. Ah, 
immortal, ever blessed Florence Nightingale, wonld 
that others could appreciate the value of your sweet 
ministrations in the Crimea, and form an idea of the 
sacrifice you made in exchanging home and home 
comforts for the disagreeable, the miserable points of 
eamp life. Blessed are the piire in heart for they shall 
have their reward. 

7 0^ clock P. J/.— Some of ^ tDiiir scouts report the 
enemy approaching our lines iii force ; but it is gener- 
ally disbeiieved, and secnrity- prevails in our whole 
army. The. tattoo beats the hour of retiring to rest, 
and we will all-seek repose to dream of home and hap- 
piness, -j^r-:: : - 
Previous to blowing out our light some of our boys 
were engaged in fortune telling, and corporal B., 
seemed the most fortunate hearer of all concerned. 
A young lad 3^ whose nam.e was Jane, was described 
as being lovely and in love%ith some one'in the army ; 
in consequence of which he sat down and wrote her 
an immediate letter, pretending fascination on his part, 
and desiring to know if he was not the most dazzling- 
fellow living; and whether or not he was the person 
upon whom she desired most as a companion in this 
life, and if she would not have himself alone as soon 
as the war is ended. Having finished this love letter, 
the light was put out, and the corporal had to retire 
immediately too. We hope to a good and true rest. 

Sunday lovelock A, ili.— The scouts were right for the 
enemy have approached this morning, and have attack- 
(^d our right or center at Pittsburgh Landing five miles 



THE ADYEKTnEES OF A VOLUKTEER. 3D 

above here. ' We see the smoke of battle, and have heard 
Che roar of artillery, and the craek of musketry almost 
Gontiniious for th© last hour. Our boys here are urged 
to a hasty breakfast, as the order to advance may be 
heard at any moment. There is great excitement and 
strong anxiety to take part in the fight, manifested by 
the troops, who will move on with alacrity the moment 
the command is given to do so. May they win honoi? 
to themselves and glory to the country — we solemnly 
pray the^Ruleirof all things. The firing is iiow warmer 
than ever, report following report in rapid Buccession, 
and the fight seems gradually tending toward us here. 

11 o''GhGk A, i^— The firing has never slackened 
since we heard it first this morning, and it is now as I 
write^ one continuous roar without cessation or interval^' 
approaching here slowly but surely. Our division 
here has just received its orders, and are being formed 
into line as quickly as poBsible. 

General Lew Wallace is every where overseeing, giv- 
ing orders, and urging haste with all the calmness and 
self-possession which proclaims the energetic, ablecom- 
rriander. y And the men, relying upon their own cour- 
age and the capacity of their leader, ''fall in'' with great 
alacrity. Gen. Grant passed up to the scene of con- 
flict half an hour since on his flag ship, the steamea' 
Tigress. Wonder where lie has been during the houi:8 
of battle this morning? We thought previously that a- 
commanding General's place was with his own troops, 
or so close to them that, in case of even a picket fight 
taking place, he could, in a few moments, know the 
whole particulars and determine accordingly. 

Straggling parties of our own men are now coming 
in here. at Crump's Landing, where none \mt our sick 
have been since Wallace departed, half an hour since; 



4:0 THE ADYENTURES^OF A TOLUNTEEE. 

These last arrivals say that they have just been driven 
from the battle-field by the enemy, who are represented 
as being 100,000 strong, headed by Johnson, Beaure- 
gard, Bragg, Price, Cheathem, Polk and others. These 
men who fled from the battle are mostly bareheaded^ 
barefooted, and without arms of any kind ; they hav- 
ing lost them in swimming Snake Creek, which is be- 
tween here and where they escaped from — near Shiloh 
Church. 

2 o^cloclc P. M. — There are representatives of a dozen 
regiments engaged in the terrific combat going on so 
near us, now here, who number at least 1,500 men. 
Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri are repre- 
sented by these fleeing cowards, who positively assert 
that all our troops are nearly cut to pieces, and there- 
fore incapable of much longer withstanding the terrific 
assaults ot'so large a force of the enemy. Some of them 
assure us that they are the last and only living members 
of their regiments which were so well filled lately; and 
all positively declare themselves completely taken by 
surprise, while engaged at breakfast, and only escap- 
ing capture by flying when their ammunition was all 
expended. 

4 P. M, — The fury of the tremendous conflict is still 
unabated, and is seeming to change its location to- 
wards the river, where but one of our regiments is 
placed with the tents. Now our two gunboats, the 
Tyler and Lexington, seem also to have become enga- 
ged ; they have been firing for one hour. So the rebels 
must have driven us from our camps towards them and 
the river at Pittsburgh Landing. Can it be possible 
that they have done so, and nearly whipped us ? ifo ! 
let us never believe a traitor horde capable to any ad- 
vantage over us in a fair field. The wounded are now 



THE ADYEITTUEES OF A YOLUNTEER. 41 

cdmftig in here in qiianti'ties, t)bfti feet and ambnlaticeg 
bringing them along. Some of them are able to limp 
alone, and some are assisted by their comrades. They 
all represent the rebels as being masters of the 
principal portion of om' camp, and, of course, having 
the best of the battle so far. We have a very nice 
built hospital boat here, which is becoming crowded 
with our wounded m^en, with two very excellent physi- 
cians on board, who are engaged in all duties towards 
their patients necessary. All of the transports and 
boats with provisions laying, since our arrival, at Pitts- 
burgh, are now moving down towards Savanna, some 
of them carrying also large quantities of our woundedi 
They do not stop here, but inform us that reinforce- 
ments are arriving where they are moving to, and 
that Buell's army will come up in quick time, and that 
Gen. Nelson's men will be the first on the battlefield. 
We see on the opposite side of the river a cavalry force 
going down, who belong to Ohio, and are going to Sa- 
vanna, in order to come over to the fight immediately. 
May it be so. We trust soon to be in sight of BuelPs 
whole army and drive then the enemy before us. 

BuelPs arrival has saved us certainly ; for otherwise 
the rebel army had been stronger and much more 
healthy than ours here. 

Gen. Gnint was with his aids at a secesh house, ten 
miles from his army, when the fight first commenced, 
where there are said to be some handsome damsels, 
whose brother is a rebel officer, and who are, and have 
been, apparently such good and sound Unionists, that 
our General thought them all right. But they proba- 
bly sent what news they heard to that brother, and it 
was thus, mayhap, the secesh army moved toward us 
and came so near whipping us. 



42 THE AD^^NTUBES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

On seeiDg our wounded men I was made aware of 
an affecting incident by one of these poor fellows on 
the hospital barge, shortly after his arrival there. It 
related to himself and the person who came with him, 
and is at present in a bed, attended by our doctors. 
It seems that some time previous to enlisting as volun- 
teers, these two young men, J. C. and Henry M— — j%: 
were rivals for the affections of a pretty girl in their 
neighborhood, who declared finally that she would 
never wed any other than a brave man, who would 
prove himself so on a field of battle, and that, hereaf- 
ter, no home-staying suitor need trouble her with his 
presence, as cowards were more hateful to her sight than 
anything which crawled along the ground, and, there-^ 
fore, if she wasn't worth fighting for she wasn't worth 
having. In consequence of this, Jim and Henry joined 
the 72nd Ohio, and arrived here with their regiment 
about as good friends as persons in such cases usually 
are, and they both entered the fight to-day, determined to 
do their devoirs as men, of course, and each determined 
to outdo the other, if possible, in daring bravery. They 
were placed conspicuously, and fought like heroes, un- 
til Henry was struck down with a ball in the hip, when 
James, forgetful of self, and penetrated by generous 
emotion at the sudden mishap of his now friend, raised 
him upon his own back, and while in the act of carry- 
ing him to the shelter of a neighboring tree, was himself 
the recipient of a rebel bullet, which rendered his left 
arm powerless. He still stuck to his friend, however^ 
and as now the whole of their brigade was compelled 
to fall back, the task, though hard, was accomplished. 
Instead of the tree, James brought his rival safely to 
this place. They are both, as I stated before, on our 
hospital boat here, from whence, it is to be hoped, they 



THE ADYENTUKES OF A TOLUNTEEE. 43 

will both be sent home on a furlough, and remain 
until their recovery. How the fair cause of their 
trouble will decide between them it is hard to say. 
One thing, however, is certain : either of them is fit 
to mate with any young lady in the land. 

Our division under Wallace, which left here about 1 
P. M., are not yet engaged ; they are said to have lost 
their way on proceeding towards the battlefield. They 
will, we hope, be soon on the right road, and then 
give the enemy harder work when they arrive. The 
heroic 11th and 24th Indiana, the 8th Missouri and the 
58th Ohio, form part of this force ; and if they cannot 
whip double their number of rebels, then I am laboring 
under the greatest mistake I was ever under in all my 
Ufe. 

. . We unfortunates on the sick list here, are compelled 
to guard the company stores in the absence of our 
comrades. We are anxious enough to be with them 
were we permitted ; but as this is against orders we 
must resign ourselves to submit and obey. Some of ua 
have asked our First Lieutenant to go, but he, under 
the circumstances thinks the few well men remaining 
with the sick here are at their proper posts. Our bat- 
talion commanded by Major Hayes are out guarding a 
number of wagons which left here to bring provisions 
and forage to our departed division. They will do 
their whole duty to our country, although they are only 
armed with sabres. The few pistols we have, are Joss- 
lyns patent^ are patently worthless, and refuse to 
fire at a foe; they are consequently only dangerous 
to their owners. Who is to blame for this ? no one 
of course. But feeling ourselves fighting in. a just 
cause, we will not permit any one to exceed us in the 



44 THE ADVENTUBES OF A VOLUITTEEE. 

faithful dk(^B^g^'6f^yu^^Mh^ circuirir 

stances. 

6 d^ clock P, ilf.— The fire has somewhat slackened 
in the last half hour, and except the discharge of heavy 
guns from our gunboats is nearly ceased altogether. 
Buell has arrived with a large portion of his force, 
they having crossed over to the scene of action. A 
large portion of them is visible going on the opposite 
side of the river to Savanna to obtain transportation. A 
number of transport steamers which passed down to- 
day, some of them nearly empty, are now returning 
filled to their utmost capacity with glorious soldiers, 
who rend the sky with cheers as they pass up to their 
destination. 

That does not look as if w^e were beaten yet awhile, 
although some of the steamers stopping their engines 
at om' hail here to-day, report our being driven clear 
to the river, where the glorious gunboats are even now 
protecting our retreat. From all accounts which seem 
reliable, and corroboratory evidence of our own eyes and 
ears, the gunboats have saved onr outnumbered, 
wearied army from annihilation. A grateful country 
will reward their services we all firmly trust and be- 
lieve. The Eebels seem to have advanced last night 
within two miles of our pickets so silently, that our 
sleeping sentinels knew nothing of the matter, until 
they were cut down or captured in the morning by the 
advancing enemy, who followed the advantage so 
quickly, that a part of our force, especially the brig- 
ades of Generals Prentiss and Sherman were cut up or 
captured before they had a chance to defend themselves. 
General Prentiss was especially unfortunate, as he and 
his whole command were nearly all taken and imme- 
diately made prisoners of war. Under these circum- 



THE ADVENTUKES 05* A VOLUiNTEEE. 45 

stances ( thongli there is much fault somewhere,) the 
Tn^Ti are not so much at fault as was first supposed. 
Oppose a body of men as brave individually, as strong 
as Hercules to a fully accoutred army of disciplined 
troops ; let them be taken too by surprise, and they will 
not make a better efibrt than some of these who have 
been spoken of so slightingly.' The fault lies not with 
the men thus situated, but with those having command 
of them. Those officers who ordered the men to save 
themselves as best they could, soon after the attack 
was made upon them by the enemy, were far more 
cowardly than can be said by any one. The idea oC 
permitting guards to sleep at improper periods, is fa^ 
from justice to either them or others. It has been 
said and somewhat truly too, that greater cowards or 
scoundrels never existed, than those who permit others 
to do as much infamy as he is guilty of himself at all 
times. To allow our guards to sleep at such a time, 
was attributable to some of their officers ; and that 
such fellows still remain in the service is rascallj^ in, 
the extreme. Some of them are still officers, and 
those fellows, cowards as they always were, feel them- 
selves forgotten when they are not promoted. Major 
Ricker, in command of our first battalion must 
know several of them, because when he drove the 
cowards of our army from the river where they had 
fled this afternoon, the officers there pretended as an- 
excuse, that it was sickness that was afiecting them;, 
and represented themselves as unfit at the present time 
for further service. We'll dress part of the shoulder 
strap gentry in petticoats the next fight we engage in, 
and leave them in camp to. wash the high privates 
linen, while the latter will do better fighting without 
tUem.. 



56 •'^^'THE ADYENtUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

• Iff fi^ ^ -, " ' 

8 0^ clock P. M,—lt is thouglit somewHere, that the' 
enemy if they have prompt intelligence of om- numbers 
here, and the large amount of Commissary stores re- 
maining, may send a brigade in this direction ere morn- 
ing. We scarcely believe this however, since they 
tnust bo aware of the large reinforcements of troops 
we 6till pour into Pittsburgh. And they are not such 
fools as to divide their forces now to accomplish such 
an object ; since, if they beat us again to-morrow they 
will capture them without any risk to themselves what- 
ever. But and if are small and sometimes insignifi- 
cant words; but if they whip us again to-morrow,' 
they shall have them. To-morrow^ yes^ tomorrow^ 
Wallace and Buell will have something to say and do 
to them, which will make their hearts ache. If thirty- 
five thousand taken too by surprise can contest the 
feld with eighty or one hundred thousand Rebels for 
tw^elve hours, w^hat w^illnot our tried heroes do to them 
to-morrow, under the leadership of such commanders 
as Buell, Fope, Wallace, Nelson and Smith ? Ah, if 
they only remain on the field until to-morrow, the Re-' 
public is safe, and the war much sooner ended. 

April Y^^/i'., 1862.— Glory to God? the enemy are 
still on the ground, and the contest is tenew'ed. Now 
gallant patriots to your posts, and show them you will 
not only ''scotch the snake" of Rebellion, but crush; 
it. Be your arms nerved and youi' hearts determined 
this day by the justness of your cause! Let every ^ 
man but do his duty, and victory, glorious victory can- 
not fail to perch upon j'our standard. 

Generals Nelson, M'Oook and Crittenden of Buell's 
army, are commanding the second, fourth and fifth/ 
divisions thereof, are going to do good service here,' 
and enter this mornings engagement first. Our six' 



THE ADYENTUKES OFA VOLUNTEEE. 47 

divisions tinder McClernand, W. H. L. Wallace/liet? 
Wallace, Hurlburt, Sherman and Prentiss were, except 
Lew Wallace's division pretty badly used yesterday. 
The sixth nnder Prentiss is about gone, and those 
under Sherman and Harlbnrt have lost a great many. 
McOlernand and W. H. L. Wallace m^eialso 'severed 
losers; the numbers being in killed, wounded and 
missino^ about two thousand eacli. Having ascertained 
our plans, the Secesh Generals struck at a time when 
such a blow was not expected. They thought to sur- 
prise us with an overwhelming force, and drive us into 
the river, by means of creating a sudden panic among 
our divisions. That this was their great design, their 
private advance and sudden attack yesterday clearly 
proves. Sherman's and Hurlburt's divisions were 
attacked near Shiloh Church, they being the left wing 
and the first attacked ; consequently their losses were 
severe. It was here that Waterhouse and Taylors bat- 
teries opened upon the E-ebel forces, and their fire 
across an open fiekl became general. The enemy then 
left flanked General Sherman, and drove Prentiss's 
corps partly to the rear. He had fallen back about 
nine o'clock A. M. Appier and Munger's regiments, 
under Colonel Hildebrand then left the batteries of 
Waterhouse and Taylor and also retreated ; we losing 
three of Waterhouse's guns there. Taylor's battery 
still at Shiloh, was ordered to fall back on the Ham- 
burgh road, which they did, securely accompanied by 
McDowell and Buckland's forces. Captain Behrs bat- 
tery was all lost near by, the men flying from their 
guns on the approach of the enemy. McDowell and 
Buckland joined McClernand, the right, by orders at 
about ten A. M. ; and all our camps on the left were 
Boon after taken by the enemy. Previous to this. Gen- 



48 THE ADVENTURES OF A VODUNTEEB. 

eral Hurlburt had received orders, and advanced the 
second brigade under Colonel Yeatch to the left of 
Sherman, which went into action immediately after 
their arrival, and fought well and hard, as any force on 
earth could do. They were the twenty-fifth Indiana, 
and the fourteenth, fifteenth and forty-sixth Illinois. 
These men soon formed line of battle, and moving 
on to the attack met Sherman's flying men on the roads 
along the route for miles. They had been completely 
surprised by the enemies attack, and strewed their 
blankets, knapsacks and guns along the route as they 
fled. These men in this brigade tried hard to stand 
up to fighting ; but as almost everything was breaking 
up around them, they could not do so any length of 
time short of being annihilated. They poured in a 
few well directed volleys, and then reluctantly retreat- 
ed, firing however as they fell back. Their loss was 
quite heavy, as al], or nearly all their field officers were 
killed or wounded. 

.. Jlildebrands forces were evidently poor fighters in this 
instance, as they flinched in a short time under the appal- 
ling; fire sent at them. It is said of them by a writer^ 
that they " had no stomach for fight, since no command 
or entreaty of officers — no appeal to their patriotism, or 
to their sense of shame — no taunt of cowardice or threats 
disgrace could call them again into action." They 
drifted through the lines of Hurlburt and McClernand 
and for the rest of the day found safety and repose 
under the river bank, some taking logs and drowning 
instead of swimming across the river. The balance 
ready at any moment to seize the transport steamers 
gone below to Savanna. About half past ten o'clock 
A. M., the enemy made a furious attack upon General 
McClernand's whole force; but a brigade under 



THE ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 49 

McDowell came up, and attacking the left flank of the 
Secessionist army, forced them back some distance 
for a time, probably four or five hours ; and then our 
men taking cover of a wooded valley, and some fallen 
timber in the rear, sometimes gaining and sometimes 
losing ground, were finally compelled to retreat. The 
almost deafening sound of firing were all that could be 
heard at the time, and plainly showed that the contest 
on both sides was for victory or death. The fervor 
knew no bounds as they were evidently bent on works 
of destruction. 

In extenuation of the conduct of Sherman's men, he 
has said that his division was made up of new regi- 
ments, nearly all of whom received their arms at 
Paducah, Ky. None of them were ever under fire 
before, or beheld heavy columns of an enemy bearing 
down upon them as they did yestei-day on the sixth of 
April. The General did not expect the coolness or 
steadiness of older troops among them,- nor did other 
persons ; and they were all right enough, for green 
troops are not as fit to fight an enemy as older ones. 
Hurlbut's division who were in reserve, saved Sherman 
and Prentiss by solidly keeping the ranks of his first, 
and third brigades in front, after he received the 
request to assist them; which h-e did with the forty- 
first, twenty-eighth, and thirty-second Illinois, and 
third Iowa. The thirty-first and forty-fourth Indiana, 
and the seventeenth and twenty-fifth Kentucky regi- 
ments, and the first and .second battalions of the fifth 
O. V. C, Mans' battery, Eoss' battery, the second 
Michigan, and Myers thirteenth Ohio battery, altogeth- 
er drew near the left of Prentiss' line ; but his regiments 
drifted through our advance. Prentiss making strong 
efibrts to prevent them doing so, at last succeeded in 



60 THE ADVEInTTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER, 

rallying a large portion of his men ; and they redeemed 
their honor in maintaining the line they again formed, 
and remained near Hurlbut's third and fighting bri- 
gade. Shortly, previous to this however, Myers thir- 
teenth Ohio battery was deserted by the officers and 
men belonging to it ; and this rascally piece of cowardice 
on their part will, we hope and trust, cause every one 
of them to receive trial and death as soon as ever we 
end this battle. 

Eoss' battery lost many men here, and it was ordered 
to the rear, when Man's battery, maintaining its fire 
very steadily, sent shot and shell into the enemy's 
ranks, and kept its position steadily, until we were all 
compelled to retreat nearer the river. (The Cincinnati 
Times' correspondent, Mr. Spencer, wrote all about this 
matter of yesterday's battle, and in order to tell more 
than I or some others know concerning the matter, and 
in order to place one of his letters here, I have left this 
place open. I have seen the writer frequently, who 
is a gentleman well liked by us all, and writer for a 
newspaper we well love). 

''With the first demonstration of the enemy upon 
the left wing, it was to be seen that all the fury was 
being poured out upon it, with the determination that 
it should give way. For nearly two hours a sheet of 
fire blazed from both columns, and I could liken the 
explosion of the small arms to nothing save a cane 
brake in a state of conflagration. The Mississippi 
riflemen, a large and well organized body of good marks- 
men and desperate men, fought with a valor that was 
only equalled by those who received their unerring fire 
and returned it with an energy which assured them 
that many of those who had received the fire at Fort 
Donelson were in the ranks before them. 



THE ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

In this qnarter it seemed, for the period of nearly an 
hour, that the enemy would succeed in driving our 
forces. Three different times they drove our men 
slowly before them until they came in sight of the river 
and were plainly visible to those on the main landing 
below. Up to 3 o'clock, it will be remembered, the 
battle raged with a fury which defies description. At 
every point the rebels found every attempt to break 
our lines unavailing. They had striven to drive in our 
main columns, and, finding that impossible, had turned 
all their strength upon our left wing. Foiled in that 
quarter, they now made another attack on our center 
and fought like tigers. They found our lines well pre- 
pared for, and in full expectation of their coming ; 
every man to his post, and all waiting to bring the con- 
test to a definite conclusion. 

In hourly expectation of the arrival of the forces 
under Gens. Nelson and Thomas, who were at Savanna 
and to whom messages had been sent, (a fact as well 
known to the secessionists as ourselves.) they made 
every efibrt to rout our forces before these reinforce- 
ments should have coine forward. They were, how- 
ever, fighting against a wall of fire and steel, manned 
by as brave hearts as ever smelled the essence of gun- 
powder. Volley answered to volley, and for a time 
the battle of the morning was re-enacted over the same 
ground, and with the same vigor on both sides. 

At five o'clock there was a short cessation in the 
firing of the enemy, their lines falling back on the cen- 
ter for the distance, perhaps, of nearly a mile. They 
then suddenly wheeled and again threw their whole 
force upon the left wing, determined to make the final 
struggle of the day in that quarter. The gunboat Lex- 
ington, in the meantime, had arrived from Savanna, 



62 THE ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

and after sending a messenger to Gen. Grant to ascer- 
tain the direction in which the enemy lay then from 
the river, the two boats took position about half a mile 
above the landing and poured their shell up a deep 
ravine, reaching the river to their right. The shots 
were thick and fast, and told with a thrilling effect. 

In the meantime General Wallace had taken a cir- 
cuitous route from Crump's Landing, and appeared 
suddenly on the right wing of the enemy. In face of 
this combination of circumstances, the rebels felt that 
their enterprise was for the day a failure, and, as night 
was about at hand, fell back, fighting as they went, 
until they reached an advantageous position somewhat 
in the rear, and yet occupying the main road to Cor- 
inth. 

The gunboats continued to send their shell after 
them until they got entirely beyond their reach. Thus 
ends an outline of the battle of the first day." 

The Times' corrosponpeut made but one mistake in 
this letter, which was ''the arrival of General Wallace 
that day." He had lost his way and therefore did not 
arrive until after dark; but to-day he is there, and is 
just gone into the fracas now% as his Quartermaster 
General has told all about it to us here. We have 
full intelligence from officers arrived here of the wound- 
ed, of the battle, and we will go there this morning, if 
permitted to do so. It was General W. H. L. Wallace 
w4iose division had arrived : the leader and second in 
command. General McArthur, who got there, and kept 
the enemy at bay j^esterday until the day's fighting 
was ended. The mortally wounding of these two lead- 
ers occurred here, and Colonel Tuttle took the com- 
mand. McClernand's forces also did a heavy duty. 
In fact nearly all our men fought nobly during the 



THE AD\^NTI7BES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 53' 

battle. The regiments of Illinois, the 14th especially, 
and the 25th Indiana, and the 5th O. V. C, partly 
saved us from a complete destruction on this day. It 
was the skill of the rebel generals which partly de- 
feated us, and drove us towards the river bank, about 
4 P. M. It was about this time McOiernand did so 
nobly, and caused charges by noble western soldiers, 
which sent back to -bay the secesh Tigers, Avalanches, 
Zouaves, Gladiators and Invincibles, who attacked us, 
and caused the bloodiest battlefield the Union ever had 
since it was first formed. An observer of the field and 
contest to-day thus wrote in regard to this terrible 
battle: 

" Each man fought as if success or defeat depended 
on his own right arm; and charge after charge was 
made upon the rebels to regain the ground we had lo&ti^ 
They stood firm as a rock; and though, our artillery 
often swept down their ranks and left fearful gaps in 
their columns, they manifested no trepidation, nor did 
they waver for a moment. The living supplied the 
place of the dead ; the musket that had fallen from a 
lifeless hand was seized at once, and the horrid strife 
swept on as before. The force of the enemy appeared 
increasing, and where the greatest havoc was made, 
there the strongest opposition was shown. Hand to 
hand contests were innumerable. Every struggle was 
for life. Quarter was asked on neither side, and the 
ground drank up the blood of hundreds of brave fellows 
every hour. Men lost their semblance of humanity, 
and the spirit of the demon shone in their faces ; 
there was but one desire, and that was to destroy ; 
there was little shouting ; the warriors were too much 
in earnest ; they set their teeth firm, and strained 
every nerve to its utmost tension. Death lost all its 



S^ THE ADVEm^URES OF A VODUNTEEB. ^ 

terrors, and men seemed to feast upon the sight of 
blood." 

On the next day, we having been reinforced, as I 
stated before, by two or three divisions of BuelPs army, 
one of which (Nelson 's) having taken a part in the pre- 
vious evening's strife, we shortly after daylight again 
commenced the fight, our division under Lew Wallace 
taking the right, and forming the right wing. Buell's 
division took the left, upon which the rebel artillery 
first opened fire. They soon engaged here on both 
sides ; but the advantage was with us. The greatest 
number of rebel infantry were, however, gathered in 
stronger force on our right wing, in order to fall upon 
that and drive Wallace from his position ; he drove 
back the rebels, using Thompson's and Thirber's bat- 
teries, and halting upon a blufi" to await the appearance 
of Sherman's forces for a co-operation to recapture our 
camp that was taken j^esterday. Sherman had gone to 
McOlernand, however, and soon Wallace changed front, 
and being protected by Snake Creek, it became neces- 
says for him to half- wheel the whole division, which 
he did, the 1st brigade occupying the strip of woods 
near Thirber's battery which Thompson formerly occu- 
pied whilst his ammunition lasted. 

The rebels made an attack at this, but they were soon 
driven back by the 8th Missouri, who sent a fire at them 
which caused their immediate flight, our regiment suf- 
fering but little. The rebels were in the woods prin- 
cipally, being driven there by our 1st and 2nd brigades, 
who held for some time all their positions in front of 
the woods. Our left, then under Sherman, advanced, 
covered by Lieut. Woods' Chicago Light Artillery, and 
gained General McClernand's old camp on the road to 
Corinth, It was here that Buell's Veterans were met 



THE ADVENTUEES OF A VGLUNTEEE. 55 

by them, and gave them a confidence previously un^ 
possessed, and they entered the hitherto'dreaded woods, 
a portion under McCook and Eousseau, and soon 
sent the enemy, commanded as they were by Beaure- 
gard, Polk, Bragg and Breckinridge, flying. This was 
about the centre, and it was here that McCook's divi- 
sion did their best fighting, and drove the enemy along 
the way they came, the centre of the field of battle which 
they stole along to yesterday morning. Hurlbut's 
forces, on the left, were also doing good service at this 
time near McOlernand, and while successfully engaged 
in stopping a flank movement of the enem}^, held their 
ground until all the firing ceased. Lew Wallace liav^- 
ing forced the enemy to the right, pushed on his col- 
umns until the rebel cavalry, in strong force, tried to^ 
cut our right flank, but were soon driven off by some 
of the 1st Nebraska regiment, and the 23rd Indiana, 
the 11th Indiana, the 58th Ohio, the 76th Ohio, 28th 
Ohio, 78th Ohio, and 20th Ohio. 

When we entered the woods we never stopped, but- 
drove them on, while Beauregard was trying to induce 
the stoppage of his flying forces by all the talk in his 
power, but unfavorably to him or them. 

The contest now about 4 P. M. was raging in all direc- 
tions, until at last the enemy being driven in all di- 
rections were routed ; and our men cheered as they 
moved along. Buell drove the enemy's right wing. 
While we were driving the left under Wallace, the Se- 
cesh fled to their camps, which were two mile beyond 
ours, and which were previous to yesterday's fight, occu- 
pied by General Sherman. Terrill's and Mendenhall's 
batteries attacked them near this camp, and was the 
cause of taking a good many pieces of their artillery, 
and caused their repulse on a great many occasions. 



56 THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLDNTEEE. 

Their attack here was rather severe, until they were 
repulsed by General Eoasseau's brigade ; then the en- 
emy were completely repulsed on our center and right ; 
and General McOlernand's headquarters retaken by his 
forces, the enemy fled through open fields and only re- 
formed when they got to the woods beyond. They had 
been contesting terribly along our lines, and many of 
our men having discharged all their ammunition, we 
expended a long time in completely .exhausting 
and driving the enemy pell mell before us. The 
Rebels tried to increase the vigor of their attack 
then, but-to no purpose ; for receiving a new amount 
of ammunition brought to Rousseau's brigade, these 
dispositions caused an advance of our whole force, and 
a quick retreat of the enemy^ in every direction. 
Beauregard made every endeavor in this instance, by 
command and appeal along his lines, and exposure of 
his person, to stay his troops retreat; but he was dis- 
regarded in these instances, and his men all fled hastily 
along the Corinth roads. 

The nature of our pursuit was feeble, as the direc- 
tion to move was poor, and our Cavalry move- 
ments were feeble enough, and our harassing for a 
time somewhat restrained ; our pursuit therefore, for 
more than a mile or two was comparatively useless. 
The topography of the country was so little known, 
that it was considered hazardous to penetrate into the 
enemy's ranks. The neglect of our Generals on 
this account, was considered a rather unfortunate 
success — victory or consolation to all of us — and 
therefore, our great triumph was not as well herald- 
ed as should have been. Many have written home 
about this battle, who say that previous to this day's 
fight, they expected failures in regard, to conquest, as 



THE ADTENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 67 

they were far from being as numerous and as well 
posted about position as the enemy were. This, how- 
ever, was proved a grand mistake, although we were 
not like some of the enemy, residents near the place 
where we fought at. We trust to meet the Rebel 
scoundrels soon, and give them all they deserve. May 
they never be able to gain a success, we pray. 

Tuesday mornings April Wi,^ 1862. — On this 
eventful morn, I, in company with two other persons 
on horseback, started with our Lieutenant's consent 
from Crump's Landing to the field of battle ; in order 
to find our third battalion, which was reported near or 
beyond Shiloh Church; andby hasty riding we crossed" 
snake creek, and arrived at the field near Pittsburgh^- 
Landing in one hoitt' from the time we started. Along 
this road two-thirds of the farm houses had raised 
white flags in order to show their peacefulness to the 
victorious on either side ; but whether or not they were 
Unionists we care but very .little. We thought then, 
and we yet believe that it was only real fear that raised 
such flags, and not true feeling ; and that there was 
mxOre Southern than Northern feeling amongst them'' 
at all times. 

The battlefield is some four or five miles in length, 
and in many parts beyond a mile in width. This is 
nearly all covered with dead, the Rebels being as much 
as five to one. There are articles of many kinds, such 
as carbines, guns, ammunition, horses, wagons, and 
artillery laying all around through the field, some of 
which have been picked up by many of our own jiien 
of small regiments, and taken by various Quartermas'-"^' 
ters. The unfalterino^ heroism of a o:reat manv of our 
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa and Michigan 

boys, was very great vesterday, and their losses very 
3* " 



58 THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 

severe, for which we all trust their country will dothem 
honor ; and remember that they fought the same 
ground over several times, against majorities of the. 
enemy, who, enthusiastic as they often are, were 
finally compelled to retreat (as large dogs do from small 
ones very frequently,) and left everything they were, 
possessed of in the hands of their foes. The field was 
well covered with bodies lying dead all over it. In 
digging the graves there were frequently over one 
hundred bodies placed in one hole, principally Rebels ; 
their dead being at least three to one of ours. There 
was scarcely a place upon the whole field upon which 
many dead, were not lying, and our men digging their 
graves I in one of which nearly two hundred bodies 
were placed^ere it was covered up. r> Near this, on the 
limb of a large tree, was a portion of the leg of an ar-; 
tillerist, which w^as taken down by ropes and placed i% 
the cover so necessary for it. This was close to the place^ 
General Grant sat upon his horse, about .4 O'clock Pty 
M. on Sunday evening, and where Captain Carson, our^^ 
scout, was killed, and several others were wounded; 
and to the left of where Sherman, had his head not 
been somewhat lowered, would also have received a 
fatal wound. There was scarely a tree about here 
which had not from one to twenty shot holes placed in 
it, mostly of cannon balls, and largely of shot. Tothe 
left of this also, Hurlbut came near his end of life; it was 
here my two companions separated from me, and 1 
therefore, made ofi* towards Shiloh Church, where it 
was represented pur thia-d battalion had first gone, in 
order to do more service if necessary- As I went on 
the. road towards where our men were said to be then, 
I saw Eebel wagons, caisons of artillery, and dead 
horses in large numbers lying, with tents and sutler's 



THE ADTENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 59 

boxes in ail directions ; and so I hastened on 5 until at 
last I found our men formed in lines of battle in front 
of Sherman's division. Shortly after my arrival we 
were ordered to advance, and just then one of our reg- 
iments, the seventy-first Ohio was attacked by Rebel 
Cavalry, and were compelled, with many killed and 
wounded, to retreat. Tken we received orders to ad- 
vance, with the third battalion of eleventh Illinois Cav- 
alry behind us about a mile, in order to prevent the, 
enemy m.aking an attack upon our rear; and if ihef^ 
were near us to fight them and capture all we could. 
We then started along the main Corinth roadyand in- 
stead of going one mile we went out six— nevetf discov- 
ering until we reached a creek, the Cavalry we were af- 
ter. Here they burned the bridge, and we could go- 
no further ; but formed a line of battle, endeavoring 
to cause a melee, to no purpose, however, as we 
only captured a negro servant with the horse of a Eebel 
Captain, at the plpvce. We went far beyond where 
we were ordered to go, much against the will of the 
Commander of the eleventh Illinois, who was with ns ; 
but Major Hayes of ours was determined on a fight, 
and promotion if possible ; and so all had to go and 
do as he thought best. ^ We liked it well enough, al- 
tiiough we unexpectedly returned without a battle, as 
w^ were sure we would have ere we got back to camp 
^gain. 
^^^ Along our course there were many small Bebel camps 
on^oth sides of the road, and out some four miles on the 
left-hand side was a large hospital full of Rebel wound- 
ed^, and several physicians attending upon them. These 
we did not trouble going out or coming in; but I, a 
quartermaster sergeant, ^d only 'a volunteer in thus 
'^oing, could of ten see what was about us ; as I was not 



60 THE ADVENTUFwES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

in the ranks, and corresponded with a paper once a 
week while in the service. 

After returning I was again compelled to go back to 
Crump's Landing, which I did immediately, arriving 
about 5 o'clock in the afternooon. There I was com- 
pelled by orders to remain with our sick, a large num- 
ber of whom were in beds in their tents. The men 
who had left the battlefield on Sunday and came here 
flying, were compelled to return by their officers. 
Tiiere were 5,000 of them, most; of whom were cow- 
ardly villains, and hid in the woods when they discov- 
ered themselves sought for. 

10th of April, — Here Mr. Hurst, formerly a mer- 
chant in Furdy, twenty miles from us, was raising a 
regiment of his neighbors and acquaintances, and had 
some 200 men, who were placed in tents, and received 
clothing and provisions from us, but, as yet, no horses, 
as these animals are scarce at present. They seem re-. 
solved to be firmly in favor of our Union cause, and> 
are generally large, stout men. The weather seems 
quite good here now ; the snu shines pleasantly, and 
birds and snakes are becoming plentiful. A good 
many deaths are taking place here at this period, audi 
our graveyard on top of the hill, near the river, is be- 
coming quite large. Ool. Oaubry, of the 72nd Ohio.,^ 
and others who were brought here wounded, have ex-^ 
pired. Colonel Canbry was shot through the breast; 
and his wife, on a visit to him, only arrived after he 
died. We have many wounded here of this 72nd i#g- 
iment, also of the 57th, 48th and 54th Ohioans. The 
11th, 40th, 15th and 61st Illinois, theColonel of whom, 
Mr. Moore, is killed, and the Major wounded. The 6th 
Iowa, the 21st and 25th Missom'i, have also some of their 
wounded here ; but they are well treated by our doc- 



THE ADYENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 61 

tors, and we hope they will soon be permanently cured. 
Boats filled with soldiers keep coming up the river and 
pass us here, cheered and wished all kinds of good 
luck after their arrival at Pittsburgh Landing. 

April IZth. — This morning a Colonel of 'our army, 
commanding two regiments near Adamsville, 4 miles 
from here, have sent in asking us to bring out 100 
cavalry, in order to capture several rebel ofiicers, who 
are now at home, between him and Purdy, and obtain 
ail the news for him we can. This we cannot do, as 
ourir-TiJitallion has been gone several days to the advance 
of Grant's force. We raised ten men here, however ; 

and although our 1st Lieutenant, John H -d, was 

at first opposed to so few of us going to do perilous 
work, he at last consented, and out we went to the 
Colonel who sent for 100 of us, and from him receiving 
the loan of guns, and the order to not go very far with 
so few men. Away we started on the Purdy road, and 
at Adamsville captured John Combs, a rebel adjutant, 
and I sent him by one of our men back to the Colonel 
from whom we had received the carbines and orders 
shortly before. We immediately put out again, and 
searched some of the houses as we went along, in order 
to find rebels or arms, with which they had been provi- 
ded at the battle. About three miles beyond Adams- 
ville we found in a house a dying rebel soldier, who 
began to weep as we entered ; seeing that he was 
nearly gone,: we left there, and again starting off*, we 
ieaw some three or four men riding up the same way 
we were going, and we halted, in order to attack and 
destroy them, provided they were secessionists, but 
they proved to be Major Hurst, Mr. Browning and-^ 
members of our regiment; and as they advised, we 
started to Purdy, in order to capture there all the rebel 



62 THE ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEK, 

officers, residents of the place, who were residing there, 
and supposed to be at home, although the principal 
portion of the secesh army had gone to Corinth in fear 
of our attacking this point, and that as. soon as we 
could possibly do so. Major Hurst proved himself a 
very daring person^ or he would not have advised us to 
take the place he had been driven from by the rebels 
shortly after the war commenced, and had his store 
robbed of all his goods and nearly demolished. He 
knew what to do, and the time to do it in, and we gladly 
went through the creeks, with bridges :torn.dowffjisjnd 
the woods, until we arrived at the top, of the hill, one 
mile from the town. There we halted, in order to ob- 
serve all we could in every direction, and to obtain 
Hurst's order how to proceed. We asked the men 
with us if they were willing to enter the place, and 
they all decided on going, if Hurst wished them to do 
60. Then one-half were ordered to a Colonel's resi- 
dence at the left end of Main street, and the rest, seven 
imen of us, to proceed on our entrjT to the other end of^ 
Main street, and there capture another rebel officer, who, 
resided in a beautitiil and large white house. Brown- 
ing residad near here form erly,^ and led us to this resi- 
dence, which we gallopped on to, and soon searched. 
We found no man there, however, the place having 
only women,. one of whom was the wfe of the owner. 
She stated that her husband had gone to Corinth, 
according to orders from General Beaui'egard, and 
pretended to be quite sorry that Americans were now* 
fighting each other and destroying the whole nation. 
The Colonel at the other end of the street was gone also, 
and so we went where we all mat, out towards Bethelv- 
four miles from Purdy, in order to search another rebel 
officer's house. On the way we saw a horseman, who 



THE ADYENTUKES OF A VOLUKTEEE. 63 

mounted on and riding a mule, which he dismounted 
on seeing us, endeavored to encape by getting in 
the woods near the roadside. We outran him, how- 
ever, and made him a quick capture, when he proved 
to be a good fellow and a neighbor of Hurst^s, at Purdy. 
He gave us some good intelligence, and pointed out a 
place, where we remained some minutes, until we cap- 
tured a wagon, which was covered, and contained two 
inmates, one of whom we took prisoner. His name 
was Boyle, and he was a rebel bridge-burner. We 
returned towards our camp shortly ai'terwards by 
another route, which was forty miles from there, in; 
order to discover benefits for our forces, and to make 
prisoners of one Colonel Massingill and others who 
were said to be then at home, and supposed to have 
present a few men, whom we could take as prisoners 
of war as soon as we arrived. In a tew miles we came 
near MassingilPs house, which stood on top of a hill ; 
and as we got to this, Hurst, ordering a hasty advance, 
w^ galloped up to the residence, and ten of us enter- 
ing immediately. We halted there, whilst. I and one of 
our men entered, and were searching the rooms, up 
stairs and down, when I. heard the report of a pistol 
outside. I immediately left searching, and heard the 
crying of MassingilPs wife and children before I wcat 
to see what caused the shooting outside. When I got 
beyond the door 1 saw a negro woman, slave of the 
rebel Colonel, who told me that she had informed my 
men of her master being hid in a corn-house outside, 
and that he was shot there because he would, not come 
out when ordered to do so by one of our men. I 
immediately proceeded to the corn-crib, and, there I 
saw Massingill, who was shot near and below the 
elbow, by order of Major Hurst, while I was inside 



6i THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

searcliino;. It was hard to do, yet it had to be done, 
for the rebel Colonel ought to have come out of his 
hiding place when twice ordered to do so. Taking one 
of his horses out of the stable, and fixing up his arm 
as well as possible, we got him mounted and brought 
him along as our second prisoner. 

Shortly after this, we entered another rebel domicile, 
and there found Hatcher, a rebel soldier, whom we 
also took along with us to camp as prisoner of war. 

As it began to rain shortly after, heavily, we returned 
to camp giving up our arms and prisoners to the Colo- 
nel near Adamsville. He thanked us very much for 
our services, and took our names in order to do us some 
further service as soon as he possibly could. He seems 
a very good man, and a true soldier ; and it is our 
wish that he will some day be promoted to a General. 
April 14:th,^ 1862.— The sutlers here are now doing 
a heavy business ; they have opened a large amount of 
eatables, and some of them drinking^ matter of rather 
a strong description. There is one of them near the 
river belonging to the fifty-eighth- Ohio, who sells here 
by the drink out of open barrels, and makes a great 
-<ieal of money by it. Whether heis granted this per- 
mission or not it is hard to say; but one thing is certain 
— ^le ought not to be allowed to do so by the military 
authorities here at present. If any such permission 
was granted them so close to soldiers camps, then ought 
every soldier desiring it receive a furlough immedi- 
ately. 

One of the sergeants in this regiment has his wife 
with him irom the time they left home. She was a 
washer-woman in the camp,' and made considerable 
money through her employment. She had a hard bunk 
however, being compelled to sleep in her husbands 



THE ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 65 

tent, and cook his meals there continually. Ed. B., 
one of our boys here discovered her presence, and be- 
come so much in love with her, ( she being very hand- 
some,) that he immediately brought her some washing ; 
and soon after presented her payment with a one dol- 
lar bill, State bank of Indiana ; this, she being a Ger- 
man and stranger to that State, did not know, and 
asked for other money. Ed. stated that it was perfectly 
good, and that it was at present all tlie kind he had. 
Upon this assertion she became angry, and calling her 
husband desired the immediate whipping of so daring 
a fellow ; which the husband would have done, if he 
could, had not one of Ed's, friends who come along, 
and having the change, lent the immediate payment of 
the lady's charge; and carried his corporal off with 
him to camp, informing him of the marriage of the 
lady to the sergeant who was going to strike him. As 
soon as Ed. discovered this, his gallantry on the occa- 
sion was gone ; and ever after he talked of her without 
any admiration whatever. 

f Tnere are a good many steamers here loaded with 
provisions and forage at present ; the hands of which, 
(except their Officers,) care very little for soldiers, al- 
though they buy and sell to them on all occasions."/ 
They have many Rebel articles in arms and clothing, 
which they^probably have use for at home ; if not, these .. 
things should be, in many cases returned or de-^ 
livered to the Government. 

We have moved out some four or five miles from the 
landing ; and having fixed our tents, we are told to 
remain till further orders, 

April l^th,^ 1862. — Storm and rain deters onr Cav- 
alrymen at present from scouting out very far, or ad-; 
vancing towards the Eebel stronghold at Corinth, Miss. 



66 THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

April 23rd. — The weather has become a great 
deal better, and to-day the sun shines out beautifuily, 
and gladdens the face of nature. To-day we all make 
more proper appearances publicly, than during recent 
stormy and tent filling weather. Lomax, a stout Ten- 
nesseean has joined us here; he is much acquainted 
around this neighborhood, and is desirous of showing 
us some fine positions and roads, that may hereafter do 
us good service. This morning our battalion has re- 
moved to another command, which was caused by our 
want of proper weapons. My letter to the Times ex- 
plains the whole matter. It is this : — Messrs Editors : . 
— Owing to a deficiency of arms, we, to our lasting 
regret, are detatched from the division of General Low. 
Wallace, and are placed in his rear with General 
Davis of the second division. This, we trust, is but 
a temporary arrangement, and is the first step toward 
furnishing us with proper arms, and rendering our 
efficiency more complete. What leads me to this be- 
lief is the fact, that on last evening we complied with 
an order from the Commanding General to return to 
the proper quarter all our worthless firearms, which 
includes every pistol in our possession. It is said we 
will receive Colt's revolvers, which, I trust is true ; as 
they are about the best weapon of the kind for army 
use; being the least liable of any other, to get out. of 
order. ^ '• 

We are encamped one mile and a half from the. 
landing, close to the ground the Rebels lay under arms 
upon the night of Sunday, the memorable sixth of 
April last. The eighty-first Ohio is within one hun- 
dred yards of us ; and the graves of Captain Armstrong 
and Lieutenant Post of that regiment are within thirty- 
feet of my tent. The bodies lay on top of one of the 



THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 67 

slight eminences around us ; and the spot was marked 
out to his men, the morning of the battle by Captain 
Armstrong ; who told them that, in case he fell, he de- 
sired them to lay hina there, with only the same cere- 
mony the commonest private was interred with. No- 
ble, gallant soldier ! how few you left behind you are 
fit to compare with you. in all the excellent qualities 
which go to make the man of honor ! Alas, that all 
officers are not as you were. 

We have received intelligence that the enemy are 
about evacuating Corinth, and are falling back on 
Jackson, Mississippi — and '' if so why so ? " We are 
not following them as closely as a hound would a hare. 
._ We have just endured a four days almost continua. 
rain, and are nearly drowned out. The God of battle 
intending to wash out the stain of human blood from 
the bosom of the earth, has sent this upon us for our 
sins ; and so taking it, we weathered the '' pelting of 
the pitiless storm" like Frazans: ''Shine out, bright 
sun," etc., etc. 

-"Captain Armstrong's father and brother have ar- 
rived, and are now engaged in raising the body of the 
late commander of company B, eighty-first Ohio, in 
order to take it home. They seem much afiected at 
their loss; yet, while they shed manly tears, find words 
to encourage the soldiers around them to the perform- 
ance of their duties as men and as patriots. Brave 
hearts ! They are truly of the blood of the hero lying 
stark and stiff before them. 

• We, the third battalion, expect to rejoin the other 
two battalions after receiving our new arms, which 
will be very gratifying to the whole regiment ; as in 

^lat case we w^ill be under the eye of Colonel Taylor^ 

.,. J Ije battling in the van once more. Major Hayes, 



68 THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

our battalion commander, is much liked by his men, 
and sees to their comfort as much as possible ; he is 
very anxious to be again on duty, and leading his men 
against the foe. There is no discount on Major Hayes. 
The boys are all well again, or as Pat. Dignan says, 
" They could ait a cart-horse and pull his load." They 
join me in sending their best respects to the ''Times." 
Apj^il 28th.^ 1862.— Tliis day has been somewhat 
unfortunate with our company, as George Wausbor- 
ough has just departed, and was shortly after buried. 
He was a most excellent young man, one who was 
always well liked by eveiy person acquainted with him. 
His brother Arthur, still remains with us. 

Lew Wallace's division advanced to-day to Pea Ilidge. 
There is very heavy firing this evening in that direc- 
tion. Our regiment, and the fourth and elev^enth Illi- 
nois Cavalry is with his Infantry and Artillery. His 
advance is toward Purdy, near which we have burned 
three railroad bridges and captured and destroyed a 
locomotive, taking its engineer and four other persons 
on it prisoners. We have also driven the Secesh Cav- 
alry and Infantry posted near Pardy, into the woods 
near by, killing eight and taking some thirty prisoners. 
A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial went 
with our regiment to know all about onr transactions 
and publish them, and his letter in regard to the matter, 
being fuller and better than I could write it may describe 
what we have accomplished in this expedition. It is 
as follows : 

Camp Shiloh, five miles from Pittsburgh Land- 
ing, April 30, 1862. They pretty greatly err who 
calculate the amount of good accomplished and the 
amount of sufiering and privation undergone by the 
soldier in the present war, from the number of great 



THE ANYENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE- 69 

battles in which he has been engaged, or the number 
of severe contests hand to hand through which he has 
passed ; :and in civil life the remark is too frequently 
made, that such a regiment or such a company has 
done no service, because its name occupies no place 
in the long list of those who faced the Rebel fire at 
Donelson or Shiloh. People are slow to believe that 
in war especially, great results are often traceable to ap- 
parently trivial sources. The destruction of a railroad 
bridge has been in many cases more detrimental to the 
"Southern" cause, than the loss of a thousand men 
on the battlefield ; yet the former would not justify, 
according to the views of ordinary newspaper readers, 
one tenth of the head lines and exclamations necessary 
to give the latter its due prominence in the columns of 
the dailies. This much by way of introduction. 

On Sunday morning, 28th., General Grant ordered 
General Wallace to make a demonstration in the 
neighborhood of Purdy, a town of about eight hundred 
inhabitants, twenty-two miles distant from our camp; 
deriving a small degree of importance from its location 
on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. It is about twenty 
miles from Corinth on a direct railroad line. It was 
not known when the expedition started ; what force the 
Rebels had at the point ; but it was supposed they had 
a pretty strong garrison there, and were prepared to 
repel such a Cavalry ''dash" as is ordinaiily made for 
the destruction of railroad bridges. Accordingly ,it 
was determined to send a large force, and to make the 
attack partake of the nature of a surprise. Seven reg- 
iments of Infantry from General Wallace's division, 
including the seventy-eighth and twentieth Ohio, two 
batteries of artillery, and the fourth and eleventh Illi- 
nois and fifth Ohio Cavalry were ordered to be in read- 



70 THE AI/YEXTUBES OF A VOLUNTeEB. 

iness by noon, with three days cooked rations. The 
preparations in the camp in which I chanced to be at 
the time the order was received, (the destination was 
of course not stated ) were of such an extensive scale 
that I thought the long expected movement against 
Corinth was about to be made, and without further de- 
liberation resolved to proceed with Colonel Taylor's 
regiment. 

We started at 2 o'clock P. M.; Wallace with the 
artillery and infantry in advance. Our road lay 
through the woods, swamps, and ravines, over ''cordu- 
roy" bridges and swollen creeks — through mud and 
water of every variety of depth and thickness. The 
weather, when we left camp, was very fine, though very 
warm ; the sun, pouring his rays down upon us with 
tropical vigor, made it uncomfortable to ride and 
fatigueing to march ; and we had proceeded but a few 
miles when the effect became visible in the many 
returning stragglers from the infantry regiments, who 
lazily dragged their muskets snd themselves in a home- 
ward direction. 

We passed a number of very respectable residences 
—the first of the kind seen by this army since its occu- 
pation of Pittsburgh. They are all owned by wealthy 
men, every one of whom, we learned, are more or less 
identified with the rebel cause; some are in the Con- 
federate army; others contributed of their means to its 
support. A couple of officers stopped at one of the 
houses to ask for a drink of water. The inmates, an 
elderly woman, two handsome daughters, and a few 
young contrabands, appeared very much excited at the 
approach of the Federal warriors. Before the officers 
had time to state the peaceful object of their visit to the 
domicile, the elderly lady eagerly exclaimed, ''He 



THE ADVEIhTUKES OF A TOLUNTEEE. Yl 

didn't mean to go, but they told him he must, or he'd 
be took prisoner." '^We would like to get a drink of 

water, if you please ; " said Captain H , ''We are 

very thirsty." ''Oh, yes; certainly;" replied the 
agreeably astonished matron, '^ I thought as how ye 
had come after my son, because he was in the South- 
ern army." A conversation followed which resulted 
in the revelation that a son of the hostess had been 
drafted for Beauregard^s army ; that he had fought at 
Pittsburgh Landing and was dangerously wounded in 
the first day's battle. He was conveyed to Corinth. 
His mother became apprised of his condition, and im- 
mediately sought the Confederate military authorities, 
of whom she obtained a "sick furlough" for him. He 
is now under the maternal roof, but will not survive 
his injuries. 

At about 6 o'clock we halted in the woods, midway 
between Pittsburgh andPurdy. After an hour's delay 
General Wallace ordered the infantry and artillery to 
bivouac for the night, and the cavalry to proceed to 
Purdy. The General himself made his headquarters 
for the night in a neat frame house in the neighbor- 
hood. The woods were soon illuminated with the 
great fires the soldiers built, and around which they 
gathered to pass away the niglit. Strong picket guards 
were stationed in every direction, so that the improvi- 
sed Federal citv in the wilderness of Tennessee felt 
secure from a rebel surprise. 

The cavalry, numbering in ail about two thousand, 
continued its road to Purdy. Colonel Dickey, of the 
4th Illinois, was in command. We had enjoyed a few 
hours of pleasant* riding since 5 o'clock, but now our 
prospects changed, but not for the better. As evening 
changed into night, the sky became thickly clouded, 



^ THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLU]ST'EER. 

and in less than an hour after our second start, the 
raiii began to fall in torrents. The road grew worse 
and worse, as we advanced, and the night darker and 
darker every hour. We proceeded, however, making 
our way by the dim outlines of the forest on either 
side of us. We had a guide, bnt he was a poor one, 
and had less confidence in himself than we had in him. 
The rain continued ; at times it was furious. A great 
many of our men were unprovided with overcoats or 
waterproof blankets, but the word was, Forward to 
Purdy. 

What was hitherto darkness became impenetrable 
blackness until we could not discern an object three 
feet ahead of us. Consider two thousand men now 
galloping along a narrow road, now wading through 
a black swamp, and once or twice almost swimming a 
swiftly running creek, and all of this in the darkest 
night that any of the two thousand men ever saw. 
The ''clashing of arms'' was for once a welcome noise, 
and formed the only guide by which we kept together. 

At about 12 o'clock we came to a halt about two 
miles from Purdy, Colonel Dickey fearing, and very 
properly, that the whole party would get lost before 
morning. As it was, a number of our men had aban- 
doned the hope of being able to keep up with us, and 
had remained along the road behind us. A' whole 
company at one time declared their inability to pro- 
ceed ; and still it rained harder than ever. After 
standing still an hour, under the ''pelting of the pitiless 
storm," "About face" was ordered and we started for 
the point where we left the infantry, arriving there just 
at daylight. Here the men were ordered to dismount 
and feed their horses. The effect of the night's "tramp'^ 
was visible in every countenance. Many of our stout- 



THE ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 7S 

est and hardiest men ''gave out" altogether, and were 
compelled to return to camp, when mornmg camOo 
Some of them laid down on* the roadside, glad to seize 
this opportunity of an hour's "rest," even though the 
rain beat heavily on their closed eyelids. 

At 5 o'clock the order was given for us to return — 
not to camp, but to Purdy. Many of us received the 
order with dissatisfaction, and some obeyed it with 
reluctance. Col. Taylor, of the 5th O. V. 0-, was 
taken seriously ill, (he was quite unwell when we left 
camp,) and could not command his regiment ; the 
Lieutenant Colonel, also, was compelled from sickness 
to abandon his intention of returning ; so the command 
devolved upon the Senior Major, E. G. Eicker, an offi- 
cer who has given frequent proofs of his efficiency and 
valor. The entire cavalry force started back, and in 
a couple of hours were in Purdy. They were disap- 
pointed to learn that about one hundred rebels who had 
garrisoned the place, had left Justin time to save them- 
selves. '■'' "" 

Col. Dickey sent a small force to skiiTnish two miles 
below Purdy, (there were 3,000 rebels at Bethel, four 
Iniles below) while another force destroyed the railroad 
fridge, two miles above it. The work was accom-* 
plished ; the bridge w^as torn up, and the connection 
between Purdy and Corinth completely destroyed. 
While the men were at work, a locomotive with four 
men — two officers, one engineer and a fireman — came 
from Bethel to ascertain what was the matter. I should 
have said that our men had cut their telegraph wires 
also ; this caused the alarm at Bethel. Our skirmish- 
ers withdrew ; let the locomotive pass by to where the 
road was torn up, and then issued forth to demand a 

"surrender." The four men were taken prisoners, the 
4 



74 THE ADTEJSTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEIL 

locomotive destroyed, and thus ended the expedition. 
ls"one of our men were killed by the enemy ; but I 
fear many of them will di« from exposure to inclem- 
ent w^eather, and the fatigue of the trip experienced by 
all. 

The cavalry returned to camp last night ; the infan- 
try and artillery this morning. After what we had 
gone through, our leaky tents appear to us like metro- 
politan hotels. I will speak for myself, and say, I 
want no more expeditions for several days to come.'' ■- 

This letter is from " Mack," and is a very good one 
indeed. May he never be of a party in such leakiness 
hereafter. 

April 29th. — There is heavy firing heard to-day ixx^ 
the direction of Corinth, towards which several of our 
regiments have proceeded. A large number of our 
men have permanently moved in that direction to-day. 
Sixty or eighty rebel prisoners have been captured 
and brought in here. One of them is a seriously- 
minded Southerner, and has attempted to cut one of 
his guards, an officer, who sat near him at dinner, on a 
steamer which has several secessionists, as prisoners, 
on board. This kind of work will do him as little 
good here as all his fighting formerly did in better and: 
easier points. 

Ap7'il 30th. — Our battallion is ordered out again 
to-day under General Davis ; the supposed destina- 
tion is near Corinth. We have just received news of 
the capture of Yorktown, Virginia, and our boys feel 
very joyous over such good intelligence. Many of us 
are seeking newspapers, but they seem so scarce at 
present that it is a very hard matter to obtain one. 

Our worthless pistols are returned to us. Colt's 
revolvers not to be had. This we dislike; as the 



THE ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 75 

pistols we left Camp Dennison with are nearly all 
worthless. 

Our gallant officer, Major Scherer, who has taught 
all of us sabre exercise, and is loved by us all, is here. 

May 1st. — We have advanced out six miles on the 
Corinth road, and encamped for the night. 

May 2J., — We have moved to-day under Gen- 
eral Davis, and belong now to the second division. 
About two o'clock P. M. we arrived at Monterey some 
ten miles from Shiloh Church, meeting many sick sol- 
diers on the route, whogenerally complain of our want 
of a sufficient number of doctors and hospitals along 
the route. Some of them seem quite uncared for, at 
present, and suffer very much under the circumstances. 
One of our teamsters has to-day become perfectly 
crazed by fever, and is held in his wagon in order that 
he shall not jump out as he desires to, and be run 
over. General Halleck has arrived, and he is well 
thought of here. He is a proper Commander in Chief, 
and his orders will be served with joyous alacrity 
always ; May his shadow never be less. 

May 4:th., — To-day I have been attending to 
the discharge of our sick men, four in number ; but 
there seems great trouble in obtaining their certificates. 
The doctor here seems to love brandy too well to ex- 
amine them promptly; therefore, they will be com- 
pelled to remain here a while longer. Captain John 
Crawford, our old Commander has just arrived by 
steamer from Cincinnati, and determined to serve his 
country as a volunteer and sharpshooter, as long as 
possible. He has met with a great reception from his 
old friends, to whom he has brought many necessary 
articles. His kindness and gentlemanly qualities have 
always been excellent, and will forever be respected. 



76 THE ADYENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 

He left his six shooter gun and all his clothing on the 
steamer he came here upon ; and with an order of his 
I procured them all from the mate, and delivered them 
to the Captain. The mate seemed to know that Cap- 
tain Crawford was a soldier all through the Mexican 
w^ar, and would not receive any payment from me for 
keeping these things safely. 

The roads to-day are horrid as we move along, there 
having been a rain storm for two days past. There is 
great destruction of U, S. property along the route, of 
wagons, harness, mules and horses ; and horrid smells 
from half buried bodies of the dead animals. Futrifying 
bodies of horses still remain above ground, and bring 
many cases of fever into debility as we move along. 
We still remain unarmed, except with sabres. The 
enemy are to-day reported to have formed in double 
lines of battle three miles this side of Corinth. There 
are supposed to be over one hundred thousand of Rebel 
forces in that vicinity. All our wagon trains are mo- 
ving forward now without any guards, as there can be 
little or no danger in this neighborhood. We move 
along slowly but securely — if we only pass through 
the mud. The Eebel force is no longer scattered about 
this neighborhood as they used to be. 

Mai/ 6lh. — General Davis has ordered our 
Major to send an account of our arms and ammuni- 
tion to him immediately, as wo are to move on very 
soon. The Major reports fifteen rounds of carti^idges 
for each sahre^ we not having firearms to shoot car- 
tridges from. Bully for the sabres ! 

Yesterday, Pope's division moving on the left from 
Hamburgh towards Corinth, through a swampy road 
and over high hills came towards Farmington, a small 
place highly situated beyond an almost impassable ra* 



THE ADYENTUEES OF A TOLUNTEEE. 77 

vine. General's Paine and Palmer did the greatest 
part of the work here about ten o'clock A. M. They 
commanded the lOtli, 16th, 22d3 27th, 42d, and 51st 
Illinois regiments ; the 10th and 16th Michigan vol- 
Tinteers, with Yate's sharpshooters; Hoiightailings 
Illinois, and Hazcocks Ohio batteries, with the second 
Michigan Oavahy. They, after proceeding four or 
five miles encountered the enemy's pickets, whom they 
soon drove off from behind trees and in thickets. Colo- 
nel Bissell's sappers and miners built all the bridges 
across creeks, which had been torn down lately by the 
enemy, and piloted our way as they removed obstruc- 
tions. 

At three o'clock P. M. the fight commenced in 
earnest, the enemy commanding the road ; and we 
would not have gained the hill side where the Rebels 
had placed four pieces of cannon and were now firing 
them at us, but the 10th regiment under Colonel Mor- 
gan, and Yates sharpshooters, detoured to the right 
and left, and poured such fires of musketry upon the 
enemy, as sent their gunners in great confusion over a 
hill top to their second position, where they formed 
their second line of battle. This was to the right of 
the Farmington road and near a thick wooded country, 
and was cloBe to an old cotton gin where a strong artil- 
lery duel took place, and great chivalry was shown 
on both sides, until some of our Infantry gaining their 
left flank, sent such a forcible fire at them, that they 
ran into the woods as though the devil were after them. 
The enemy fied in the direction of Corinth pursued 
by our Cavalry, while the Infantry entered the three 
housed and noble Southern city of Farmington. Near 
here we began intrenching along our whole front, as 
our positions were found tenable all along ; and it was 



78 THE AD^^NTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

done very quickly, especially by Pope's men, who can 
throw np and manage the soil as well as they can fight. 
These works are made strongly and soon settle, and are 
all constructed with embrasures for field pieces. The 
telegraph to the commanders tent is also fixed up, and 
we have complete possession of all our positions. 

May 12th. — The weather continues warm and 
dry, and fiwors our advance which we have accom- 
plished to-day, having moved four miles on our left 
flank. Captain Crawford is out in front skirmishing, 
which he has often so bravely done, that to-day Gen- 
eral Sherman has offered him a position on his staff*; 
but our Captain has respectfully declined it, because he 
does not want to leave us. 

May 15th. — We have advanced again, having 
much skirmishing with the enemy's pickets. Our 
battalion Quartermaster C , has left the service be- 
cause he held no position as an officer. Captain Craw- 
ford has received orders from our Major to leave camp 
on account of jealousy between some of our officers. 
This, the men will not stand if they can avoid it, and 
we have written him a petition to Major General Hal- 
leck stating all he has done for us, how fie raised us, 
andwhvhe came out here and thatheisdoino-s-reat ser- 
vice since his arrival. Our old gentlemanly, soldierly 
Captain has returned here, having received papers of 
compliment, and made Captain of scouting parties by 
Major General Halleck ; and ordered to report himself 
to our Commanding General Davis, and remain where 
he is as long as he thinks proper. Captain C, is now 
doing strong duty from seven o'clock A. M., until six 
P. M. He is doing splendid service every day, and as 
we are now but seventeen hundred yards from the en- 
emy's outer works, and have sharp skirmishing ; the 



THE ADYENTUEE3 OF A YOLUNTEER. 79 

attempts to shoot him are nnmerons and his heroism 
is well known all along our front. To-day a red shirted 
EebeL armed with a sort of mule cannon, which dis- 
charges shots of about one pound weight, is firing 
from a top fence rail near a rebel house on an eminence 
where are some two companies of the Secessionists, 
who occasionally dodge to the corners in order to fire 
with security at all our pickets and our scouts. This 
house afibrdins: shelter to theenemv in o-enerallv occu- 

(J V CD t/ 

pying the back part of it, and therefore detering our 
men from an advance is an eyesore to them, and Cap- 
tain C, making several efibrts to take it has become 
well known to Redshirt, who peeps around a corner in 
order to see and fire at the Captain. This, however, 
is soon noticed, and the Captain fires at the mule can- 
non fellow twice, and misses him both times. This 
Kedshirt seems to observe and watches the opportunity 
to discharge his piece at the bold Captain ; but fails to 
accomplish what he aims at, and ere he takes shelter 
a;gain the Captian who has treed for him, steps out and 
bells Mr. Redshirt when he again discharges his piece, 
and at this third fire from the Captain's piece, down 
falls Mr. Redshirt, and rolls anc} tumbles along the 
ground like a circus performer. Like Tom Sayers in 
his fight with Heenan, he makes ground and lofty 
tumblings until we take the position he occupied, and 
his mule driving cannon also. On the trees also were 
several Indians belonging to Price's troupe, several of 
whom we killed, who had fired at us planted in limbs, the 
balance like their Rebel iriends beat a hasty retreat as 
we advanced. A dashing Aid-de-camp of ours endeav- 
ored to send two of us across a creek we come to this 
afternoon but failing to do so, in he rode himself; but 
was dashed off immediately as it was a rather deeper 



80 THE ADVENTUEES OF A TOLU^ifTEEE. 

place than he imagined, and only saved himself by 
clinging to his horses tail and getting across to the 
other bank. 

^^^.M(iy l^th, — The weather here is changeable 
—it has been raining all last night. We are all in 
line of battle, except some builders of breast works 
who are engaged in the advance. The Eebels have 
advanced here to day with hot firing; but have been 
shelled out quickly. Our musketry has felled at least 
one dozen of them, whose bodies lay upon the ground 
behind us. Two of our Cavalry boys are shot, 
one of whom is killed. Our men were sixty hours on 
the last picket duty. There was a hot spot near the 
enemy to which our battalion was led without any or-^ 
ders except those of our Major. Here sargeant Alex- 
ander Howe, of Company E, was shot through the 
upper part of the arm, the same bullet passing through 
the body of an Infantry soldier and killing him imme- 
diately. Sargent Brawly, also of Company E, was 
killed at the same time. Is it possible (as issaid)^ 
that some officers would gladly tramp over the bodies 
of their own men in order to secure rank ? If such is 
the case it surely ^' smells rank to Heaven." 

May 216"^^,— To-day our pickets are advanced 
five hundred yards beyond yesterday's position, and our 
breastworks extend along the whole front in parallel: 
lines. Everything around us indicates a good com-j 
mand, and if we do not push secessionism to the wall : 
in this coming battle, it will be no fault of General 
Halleck's. To-day we are raising observatious by 
rigging mast fashion a large tree which stands some 
twenty-five feet inside our intrenchments ; and the 
workmen assert tl^at from its top they can see already 
the top of a steeple in Co];iat]bL., ^.JTh^ have 



THE AD^^ISTURES OF A YOLUNTEER. 81 

added the step to the tree trunk ah'eady cradled, they 
will have the point of observation at an attidude of 
120 or 130 feet, and can command a perfect view of the 
surrounding country. I wonder if it can be here a 
mere step to the top of a steeple ; or, only a step from 
the cradle to the pnlpif. 

May 237^d, — The weather is warm and dry 
again ; we had considerable skirmishing along our left 
and center again last night, and nobody was hurt, al- 
though Pat D., chased a silver tailed squirrel without 
any chance of capture while he was on picket dutyj 
He on return told a story about ^' a heifer at home wid 
a hundred pounds cash, had left him, like an ass, be- 
cause of a ruction he had," Here his story was inter- 
rupted by an Infantryman on guard duty near him, 
exclaiming: ^' Ah, look out for the Rebel fire." Pat 
ludicrously dodged behind a tree, and looking through 
the undergrowth saw what he took to be a Rebel rifle 
pointed straight at him ; but which proved to be only 
the horn of an innocent cow elevated as she grazed 
along through the woods. 

May 24:th. — There are all kinds of rumors in 
regard to our delay here ; birds are in song, and drums 
in perpetual motion ; but soldiers are now about the 
quietest animals living. One among us, however, is 
not as quiet as his comrades, and he, according to lan- 
guage is some pumpkins certainly. Corporal B, is of 
small person, and his small dimensions physically, are 
also mentally of little calibre. He is as proud of him- 
self as a peacock, and imagines he is not only an object 
of great interest here, but will be regarded by all his 
friends, male or female, on his return home, as the hero 
of Co. H, in this war. His little coquetries with him- 
self and their air of importance, proclaimed in the 



83 THE ADYENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 

Btrnt about him, with his generally private opinions of: 
himself, publicly expressed on many occasions, greatly 
contribute to relieve the monotony consequent upon a 
state of inaction in our army. '' He who doth my 
words misplace, shall meet Bombastes face to face." 
His stories of conquest of the female race are enor-i 
mous ; and, if true, place him far beyond the gallants 
of France or England ; during the days of the ^' Grand. 
Monarch'' of the one, or the ^'Merry Monarch'' of 
the other. The sobriquet of the '' Little Corporal," 
tickles him immensely, since he knows that such was- 
the title confered upon Napoleon by his soldiers after 
one of his daring feats of bravery. When the General's 
call upon us for Orderlies, B., is the readiest 
volunteer amongst us for that duty, and feels greatly 
depressed when reminded of his ineligibility from a 
diminutive stature. He is engaged after the war, on 
this account, for twenty duels, and he will doubtless 
fight them if we are in luck as we expect to be. Sar- 
gent C, is devoted to the infernal Gods for the refusal 
of the Corporals tender of himself on one of these 
occasions, when a taller young fellow was preferred. 
The pockets of our little friend are literally crammed 
with daguerreotypes of females, who were so over- 
come at the Corporal's departure for the seat of v/ar, 
that the least favor any of them conferred was her 
limned likeness to carry about through the tented field. 
The Corporal's acquaintences say that he took two of 
these pictures without consent of the owners. The 
Corporal attributes these "tales of a friend" to envy, 
^however, and so the matter rests for the present. Our 
Ist and 2nd battalions received five hundred of Colt's 
revolvers to-day, which is excellent. Major Ricker is 
now in command, both of our Colonels being absent on 



THE ADYEKTUEES OF A VOLUKTEEB. 83 

furlough. There is heavy firing this afternoon in Pope's 
division (our left wing,) which has continued from 3P, 
M., until the present moment, some two hours. Some 
seven hundred men of the Rebel armv have deserted 
and come in to us, as one of their regiments of Cavalry 
would also have done, but our pickets fired upon them, 
and caused their immediate retreat. 

The weather is so dry that we have to drink swamp 
water, which ia not very pleasant. Our pickets find 
difficulty in procuring their meals at aproper time, one 
of whom asked another near by, for a chew of tobacco. 
'' What kind '11 ye have,'' asked his friend, at the same 
time biting a large cud out of a chunk he held in his 
hands, and exclaiming : ^^ Mine's dimmycratic terbacco 
and therefore, good." '^ Well, mine's republican when 
I have it, and it is therefore, well mouthed by friend 
and foe," answered his friend. '^ Oh, ho," remarked 
Bill, '• republican, hey? well then you'd better apply 
to our friends, the Secesh yonder, ^vho are even now 
plugging away at us ; and they will supply you with 
as much Nigger liead as j^ou want." 

May 'i'ith., — There has been heavy and almost con- 
tinuous firing since 11 o'clock last night, on our left 
wing. Pope and Nelson are engaged with the enemy 
some time, and are still cracking away. 2 P. M., 
Hurlbut on our right is now at it with his artiller}^ and 
musketry. Captain Crawford has been engaged with 
him, and is now come in with orders for our division, 
under General Davis to advance; and plant some of 
his pieces, so as to rake a field in the immediate iront 
of our position, where the enemy's front seems the 
strongest, and behind which are their breastworks. 
The right and center are both at work, and the way 
the shot and shell spread themselves^ is wondrous to a 



84 THE ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER, 

pacific iDdividiial. Captain Crawford in leading to 
show General Davis the position for his gnns, made a 
very narrow escape from death. While in the act of 
firing from his horse, (which I lent him,) one, among a 
shower of balls, from the enemy, struck and went 
through the horn of his saddle. The position of the 
Captain's body alone saved his life ; for had he been 
sitting straight upon the animal at the time, he could 
not have escaped being struck in a vital part. Having 
refilled his pouch he has returned to the scene of action. 
General Davis' artillery rakes the enemy with such a 
cross fire, that they stand not upon the order of their 
going, but leave at once, belter, skelter, across the field 
into the woods. 

May 'i^th,^ — The weather is extremely warm 
yet, and there is but little air stirring. Yesterday was 
glorious for us, we, driving the Rebels back along the 
whole line, for over a mile, and captured, (it is said,) 
a large number of prisoners ; Ex-Governor Beriah 
Magoffin, formerly the Governor of Kentucky, being 
one of them. Our men were engaged in building new 
breastworks last night, and they are fully completed 
this morning. We have heard the drums beating, in 
Corinth very distinctly for several days ; but this eve- 
ning they seem few and far between. General Hal- 
leck has moved his camp forward to-day some two or 
three miles in advance of his former position. Yes- 
terday he ordered out some reconnoitering columns of 
the right, left and center, to unmask the enemy's bat- 
teries; but they encountered strong opposition, as the 
ground was hotly contested in every direction by the 
enemy, and we were compelled to fall back again. 
We lost some fifty men killed and wounded ere we 
retired. These woods in all directions are so bad, that 



THE ADYENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 85 

we Iiave to feel our way as we move aloDp;. There is 
great noise heard to night on the raih'oad at Corinth, 
as though the enemy was moving off in large numbers, 
and that prominent place was being evacuated. Gen- 
eral Pope has desired allowance from the Commander 
in Chief, or permission to take his forces and capture 
the place and those left behind ; which is not allowed 
because there is not any official source of intelligence 
regarding Eebel evacuations at the present moment.. 
May 30t/i, — This morning with a letter from 
Captain Thompson to a regiment in Sherman's divis- 
ion, I got my horse ready at 6 o'clock A. M., and was^ 
about to start with it, when we heard many loud ex- 
plosions and a large smoke in the direction ot* Corinth, 
inlh, when the report of certain Rebel evacuation was 
told us ; and off in that direction I started hastily, and 
passed the greater part of Gen. M. S. Smith's brigade, 
who were rapidly moving on and entered Corinth which 
was about empty ; nearly all the citizens having left 
the place with Beauregards army the night previous. 
The enemy set fire to a large hotel near the depot, and 
several Com^missary stores, together with arms, am- 
munition, wagons and harness near this place, which 
were far more numerous than we supposed. There 
were many abandoned Rebel camps, in some of which 
many articles remained ; amongst which molasses, 
rice, bacon and cooking utensils were in large quan- 
tities. There were several houses still burning when 
we arrived, near some of which were cannon balls, 
shot and shells; also other property which was not 
carried off or destroyed. It was reported here that the 
enemy had for sometime removed their sick, and val- 
uable stores on the railroad cars; and, also, some of 
their most efiective forces. Most of the latter, howev- 



86 THE ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

er, marched off toward Okalona, a place on the Mobile 
and Ohio railroad, and upwards of one hundred miles 
frem here. They went by the road towards Eienzi 
and Danville, to which the greater part of our army 
has followed them and captured some three hundred of 
their men here, who were so surprised at our sudden 
appearance, as to be unable to fight; and therefore, 
endeayored to retreat, to no purpose however. General 
Pope's force is in the advance, he being the first to 
take the intrenchments here. Had this great General 
been permitted to break the railroad in the rear a few 
daj^ since, as he wanted to do, the forces of Beaure- 
gard would never escaped as they have done. There 
was strono; breastworks alono' the front of a ridsre 

CD • CD O 

about a mile from Corinth, which were strong, and 
placed between all the roads ; which, certainly, would 
have deterred our advance had they held the po- 
sition as it had been previously. Corinth is a 
splendidly built little town, and has a strength of po- 
sition which was never conceded, and a stubborn de- 
fense on their part would never have permitted us to 
enter as easily as we did. 

May 3l5/.— General Pope's forces have met 
with great success on their route after the Eebels, and 
arrived at Boonville betore daylight this morning ; he 
having captnred two thousand Rebel soldiers with 
their arms and ammunition ; he also blew up a culvert, 
destroyed the track, and took a large quantity of every 
kind of supplies, and a train of about thirty railroad, 
cars and a locomotive. He took at the same place about 
ten thousand stand of arms, and a great supply of 
clothing and ammunition. These roads are filled in 
some portions with flying Rebel pickets, and many of 
them are captm^ed by onr Cavah-y. There are three 



THE AD^^NTUKES OF A YOLUKTEEE. 87 

captured locomotives here at Corintb, two of which are 
fit for immediate duty. A bridge over the Tusciimbia 
river was to-day destroyed by the enemy 'another one 
was set fire to not far off, which was saved by Captain 
C, who, as he entered Danville was among the first 
men in onr army. He was here shot at several times 
by guerilla's, who failed to hit him : and six of the 
scamps were ma.de prisoners by the Captain and an- 
other man near him at the time. In saving the bridge 
which the retreating enemy set on fire, Captain Craw- 
ford tied a long pole to a bucket and dipped snfScient 
water from the river to save the already blazing bridge, 
June 2nd. — Our actions being about over here now^ 
as Corinth is taken, Captain Crawford is abont to re- 
turn home, and for that reason sought the quarters of 
.General Halleck which is hard to find ; but through 
which he receives the Generals signature, and is to 
leave us t o - m or r o w . 

June Src?., -—Captain C, McC, and myself 
have started to Pittsburgh Landing, the former to ob-^ 
tain a passage on a steamer there for Cincinnati, 
McC, and I have gone to this point in order to bid the 
Captain farewell, and carry a portion of his things. 
We passed Monterey after breakfast time, where there 
are a thousand sick soldiers at present placed in tentSc 
There is lots of mud along this road, and there would 
have been much hunger also, in our party ; but that we 
happened to see a good Samaritan who keeps a baker 
shop on our road, and supplied us with food, because 
our Captain paid him for it. There was but few steam- 
ers near the landing when we arrived, and he obtained 
passage by hard work in two hours after we got there. 
When he was about starting, however, we sorrowfully 
bade him good-bye. The relics of several fields 



88 THE ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 

( weapons,) he takes home with him, these and the let- 
ters of our bo3'S to their friends, would almost load a 
good sized wagon. 

June 4:th, ■ — Pope has advanced beyond Dan- 
ville with Nelson, McCook, Davis and BuelPs divis- 
ions, all being in chase of the flying Rebels ; while 
Sherman, Hurlbut and others are gone in the direction 
of Memphis, some twenty miles on the Memphis and 
Charleston Railroad. The 1st Ohio Cavalry captured 
yesterday, a whole company of Louisiana tigers and 
their arms. They are mostly all foreigners, but a hard 
looking set. 

Ju7ie Qth. — Our battalion is encamped two 
miles beyond Corinth now, near the plantation and 
Blue Sulphur Springs of a Southern skedaddling fel- 
low, who, taking his negroes with him left the place 
as a hospital, where three Southern wounded soldiers 
remain nursed by three w-omen from Memphis, and a 
widow with a son-in-law and daughter, who has pos- 
session of the premises. This place is situated near a 
swamp, and the idea of making a pleasure ground and 
erecting a ten pin alley here, is rather remarkable, as 
the place is unlit for any pleasure whatever. 

June ^th, -- The houses at Corinth are at 
present being cleaned out, some of them for hospitals ; 
and debris accumulated here by filthy persons, together 
with a large amount of storage, and dead bodies of 
horses, are being burned up or taken away by our men. 
June 8t/i. — The Rebels are supposed to be in 
Bomo force across the Tuscumbia river under Beaure- 
gard. Price's army is almost totally broken up, as one 
of his men who has deserted to us reports. The desert- 
er is an Ohioan, and informs us of the total demorali- 
zation of the Rebel army. I have just been over to 



THE ADYEKTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 89 

Hurlbut's division, the tents of ^Yhich are at present 
rather empty, because the greater number of the men 
are jet off on Kebel huntings. There are several empty 
Secesh tents along the route, vrhich is ten miles be- 
yond here^in which I have picked up several weapons, 
principally large — knives which look like small sabres. 
Fodder is very scarce at present, as we receive but one 
sack of corn or oats for thirty-five horses, and no hay 
whatever. On my return to Corinth to-day, June 
10th., I met Colonel Taylor, Major Sherer, Adjutant 
Shultz and Adjutant Harrison with the Sutler, all of 
our regiment, who have returned from home, and are 
seeking our first and second battalions under General 
Hurlbut. These forces have moved out on the M.^ 
and C. railroad, twelve miles farther on this road. 
My meeting with these officers of ours was glad and 
joyous, as they are all very kind and gentlemanly per- 
sons indeed. The Paymaster Major McDowell, has 
liquidated all debts of the Government to this division, 
except our unfortunate regiment. Our absence has 
created the reason of our destitution. 

June llih. — BaelPs whole corps de army has 
again returned. The Eebels have outrun us, and got 
beyond hearing or sight, in as masterly a style as theyj 
evacuated Corinth and Danville ; which latter place is 
composed of a dozen houses filled with pretended. 
Unionists. There seems a great architectural genius . 
in the 10th. Kentucky regiment, who built of cane 
(which is. plenty where they were, near Rienzi,) a 
fancy shelter for himself, which has regular ar- 
cades, and windows, and doors. In fact it is an ele- 
gant looking summer residence, which is kept in as 
much order by the men, as can be accomplished any 
where on earth. Dewberries and blackberries are now 



00 THE ADYENTUEES OF A YOLUIS^EER. 

rather plentiful here, with pigs and cows running 
around ; and all these articles so well taken as to com- 
pose excellent food for all hands. These animals, with 
pies of the berries, made often, with milk from the cows 
running out of the corners of our mouthi; like to« 
bacco juice from an old chewer, are too good for the 
service, vet are bully for the sojers! 

June nth. — The weather is very warm here 
now ; mosquitoes have " arrived," and there are thou- 
sands of ants that seem to be one thousand years old. 
Oak bottoms and running streams, (the latter about 
played out.) are beautiful in this neighborhood. Our 
new Q. M., Lieutenant Owens, feeds us well at present 
— a new broom sweeps clean. Blackberry patches are 
plenty about here ; but our neighbors pretend great 
ignorance in regard to their whereabouts, even when 
they can be seen from their own doors. They hate to 
enlighten us on any subject, we suppose, which has 
the hlach connected with it. We hope they'll soon 
( bevry ) bury the hatchet, 2Lndi patch their consciences. 
McCook's brigade have just passed by here on their 
way to Corinth two miles distant; the men seem in 
high spirits, being under the impression they are leav- 
ing forever this barren, sickly soil. Their supposed 
destination is Memphis, by the river^ Boonville, ten 
miles south of us, is a gay place of about the dimen- 
sions 5f a pocket map and as variegated ; and although 
none of the citizens of this famous place have made 
boon companions of our boys, we can well imagine the 
strength of their stomachs and their capacity for poor 
whisky. Our privates judging their superiors by ar- 
guments pro and con, ask whether Grant or Halleck's 
surprise at Shiloh or Corinth was the greatest ; they 
seem to put it down as a fact, that ''we ziJ^r^ surprised 



THE ADYENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 91 

at Shiloh ; but that being Granted^ they say that the 
enemy's evacuation of Corintli is a h — 11 of a lick on 
us. Pat D., adds our Commander in Chief to the long 
list of illustrious Irishmen, because he clothes even the 
roads in corduroy, and strews them with shilelah,^'^ 

June 14:t/i. — Our battalion got back last night 
about seven o'clock from beyond Kienzi, a place near 
Baldwin, which is on the railroad of quite an impo- 
sing appearance, but nearly depopulated through fear 
at our approach. It is nearly as large as Corinth, and 
seems to have been quite a business place in daj's 
lately passed. We don't lament the departure of 
frightened citizens, who must have been a barefaced 
set to strip the town so nakedly on the approach of us 
inquisitive strangers. John E., a member of our bat- 
talion, having had peculiar improvement in finding 
whiskv, is accused bv his mess of vermin, for the ob- 
taining of which he is searched unavailingly, and. 
remarks then, that '* he can hear a louse walk, and, 
therefore it is useless for vermin to m^ake a race course 
over his body." There are many doubts of the ^' hear- 
ing 'em coming" part. 

4 0^ clock P. M. — We are just ordered to report to 
Colonel Dickey, being transferred to his brigade, 
which is just formed, and is composed of the 5th. O. 
Y. C, the 4th and 11th. Illinois Cavalry and another 
regiment, at present unknown. We are to advance 
along the Memphis railrdad to look after the enemy 
and his guerillas. No pay yet for us; all the other 
Ohio troops have received their money from Major 
McDowell ; why are we made the exception. There 
is six months pay due us, and our families now need 
funds very much. The infantry drums are now beat- 
ing the tattoo — lights out ; but I must steal a moment 



92 THE ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEER. 

fyom military authority and darkness, to record the 
fact, that, anioiig the frogs innumerable about us, and 
now engaged in a rivalry of song, we have one regu- 
lar Brignoli of a fellow ; w^bose mellow notes under a 
proper cultivation, would more than equal tboseof the 
rotund tenor above named. He ( the frog,) is just now 
engaged in the ^* Miserere/- and will probably soou 
give us his ''Non ti scordar di me.^' It must be in 
honor of this melodist that some of our officers w^ear 
frogged coats ; and were he listened to in some of our 
large cities, we w^ould doubtk^ss have the '" irog tie, the 
frog hop,'' and several old f (r ) ogies would meet him 
with grand receptions. 

How^ delightfully the moon, with its calm glowdng 
face shines dowm upon the warlike scenes, Beeming to 
throw rebuking glances at the elements of strife sur- 
rounding us ! Our tents coming up like so many 
ghostly shadows in the foreground of the wood, remind 
one of the lost spirits wandering about gloomily in 
Pluto's darkest regions ; and the stillness of the lately 
merry camp, now sunk in a secure repose, wdiich may 
at any moment, have a terrible a^vakening— lead to 
reflections tliat one would well wish to avoid. 

'' But see ! the clouds are floating fast and tar. 
Each by the moon tipped with a silvery hue ; 
But here and there we note a gleaming star. 
Like angels smiling through the opening blue/* 

June 15^A., — Sunday is to all (except soldiers) 
a day of rest, and the peals of^ church bells direct the 
thoughts, or, rather the imagination, to Him who has 
proclaimed "- Peace and Good wdll upon Earth.'' Alas I 
no silver toned Sunday music. sounds for the occupants 
of the camp ; but the shrill fife and rattling drum, pro- 
claim far different duties. The weather to-day is ex- 
ceedingly warm, creating a drowsy sort of laziness. 



THE ANVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEE 93 

which soldiers are rather noted for. Those of us who 
can force locomotion for one hundred yards, have a 
good antidote against this in the creek ; which has, at 
one place a sufficient depth of water to allow good 
bathing, of which many take advantage to their ben- 
efit, bodily and mentally. The Sulphur Spring is in 
close proximity, and soldiers far and near come to 
obtain a drink or canteen full. This water is highly 
impregnated with iron and sulphur, and is an excel- 
lent tonic, for which many of us can vouch, we having 
been relieved of debility through its frequent use. 
This water springs up through a perforated marble 
basin, with a capacity to supply twenty gallons, or 
more, an hour. It is very cool, and is also very deli- 
cious to the taste. The proprietor of this place, a doc- 
tor of secesh proclivities ran away with his negroes 
upon our approach, leaving the house in care of a 
widow who still remains there, and with whom are 
half a dozen wounded Rebel soldiers. These are at- 
tended to by two Eebel nurses of the female order. 
One of these men has just died of fever, and two 
others ran away as soon as they were able to get off. 
There is now but one of them remaining who desires 
to take the oath of us, and return to his friends in 
Arkansas. He is very intelligent, and desires heartily 
that the war will soon have an end. As to the nurses 
they are fire-eaters to an intense degree; but their 
heated words are of far more inflammable material 
than the modicum of natures charms has provided 
them with. Our Q. M. Lieutenant Owens, is drawing 
very well on the Commissary department at Pittsburgh 
Landing, and the subsistance will in the future be 
abundant. We, of company H., have at present but 
two boxes of army crackers, and four days rations of 



94 THE ADVENTURES OF A TOLUNTi^EB. 

coffee ; which is veiy short, as we expect to receive 
orders to move on to-day. "We have picked up mauy 
loose secesh articles lately in Southern camps, not far 
from lis here. Pat D., has just returned from one, 
bringing an illustration of the arts of ''War and 
Peace,*' in the shape of a pipe, and short sword about 
two feet long, and half as broad ; which is a tremen- 
dous weapon, seemingly well calculated for close quar- 
ters, and originally used, (it is presumed.) as a cane 
cutter in the South on sugar plantations. The chivalry 
finding them less useful in chopping up Yankees than 
cutting down sugar crops, leave them in disgust all 
over the country. 

We are ordered to Corinth by companies this after- 
noon, June loth.^ to receive four months pay. We 
need it, and will make good use thereof, by sending it 
to our families instanter. 

June 16th. — I felt very ill to day with the 
debility which has strongly affected me since my fell 
disease commenced at Crump's Landing ; and I have 
got a furlough, which has been signed by Captain T., 
and Doctor Davies, for twenty days. I feel grateful 
for this, as dyspepsia has taken up his terrible abode 
in my stomach, which I had hoped I was rid of; but 
hard fare and exposure of camp life, has rather dashed 
my hopes in that respect, and I suffer very much in 
consequence. 1 reached Pittsburgh Landing this eve- 
ning, and departed before dark on the steamer Horizon 
for home. There are a number of officers on board of 
artillery, cavalry and infantry, who do not seem great 
sufferers from disease, but obtain leaves oftener than 
privates ; so it goes through life ; men in position, 
whether entitled or not, obtain indulgences not award- 
ed to others. .^ 

( Sept 1863 ) 



J 



m 



THE 

ilD VENTURE 



y 1^^: 



OF A 



"V^O LTJIsTTEEK- , 



BY A 



Is^ON-COMMISSlOJsED OFFICER. 



P. C. BROWI^E, PRINTER, 

S. E, CORKER OF THIED AND SYCAMORE STREETS, CINCINNATI, O. 

1863. 



'^^B>> 





















__:s>t^ ^^^>:)^5> -i>:>^i» 

:^>^X> >rZ>5^> j2»3» 

Z>^^> >I>^S> ^>^^>> 

IZJi^>^ :.:^:yT> :i-^3» 


















>ZZS» 















^ "~z>z:)iSzv: 
T>i> :z>z>zi>z 






mm 

z>}>^ z: 






3 
Z> 



::^^ 



^r:>3>:^"^^ 












Ife^^?^ 






-. >^ Z^T""^ "^ 

^'.'^ "b>^& 3'3>^5 

'"Z> ^x!>ri^,>-j3>i> 
Z5r> ^^!':i:s> "i^^:5ii 

____' Olg>. JD^»>^ 

'^' I)K>> t>^s> ^:i>i>j: 



























>:x£>z> 



^^Ss^ 



>z*>^^ 



:xo> " 









^>~^::m^ 



>3r£>z> "^sg; -=; 



3 or 

5^ 






>^»^ 






